Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundupįrank Houston’s victim, Brett Sengstock – who has chosen to waive his right to anonymity – gave evidence at this trial, saying Frank Houston’s abuse began when he was seven and escalated over years, including the senior pastor “repeatedly” raping him in his Sydney home. Houston sat in the back row of a packed public gallery for Thursday’s hearing, supported by his wife and other church members. With that knowledge, he was able to conceal this from the police.” “This demonstrates, absolutely, that the culture of this church was to keep it ‘in-house’ and not to go to the police. Not one of these people mentioned going to the police to him,” Harrison said. “ knew these people would not go to the police. Harrison submitted that Houston knew he could safely report the matter to church authorities, because none of them would report the matter to “secular authorities”. ![]() ![]() “His only focus was to protect the church and go nowhere near the police.” But in closing submissions, crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison argued Brian Houston was concerned only with keeping knowledge of the offending “within the church” and protecting his father’s and the church’s reputation.
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