Ridsdale's fresh charges grow in number

More historical sex abuse charges have been laid against disgraced former Catholic priest Gerald Ridsdale.

A prosecutor in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday said two new charges had been filed last week and this morning, adding to the original total of 36.

The 38th charge relates to the sexual penetration of a child under 10, the lawyer said.

Other charges include rape, buggery, indecent assault and assault offences against boys and girls across the state.

Ridsdale, 82, appeared in the court via video link from prison and listened intently with a pen and paper at the ready.

The charges have come about from the work of the Sano Taskforce, which was set up to investigate historical and new allegations of child sex abuse involving religious and non-government organisations.

Magistrate Johanna Metcalf said on Friday that Ridsdale's matter was "complex" because it involved a number of complainants.

She adjourned the case to April 13.