Hillsong's Senior Pastor Brian Houston's Criminal Court Case Deferred to 2022
Hillsong Church's founding and senior pastor Brian Houston's court case has been deferred to next year. According to a court hearing on November 23, Houston's will now be deferred till 27 January 2022 when the date of his full trial is due to be announced. Houston has been charged by the Australian police for concealing "serious indictable offence of another person" which concerns child sexual abuse committed by his late father Frank Houston that occurred in the 1970s, which he became aware of in 1999. He has pleaded not guilty via his lawyer.
The charge followed a two-year police investigation. The older Houston has admitted to sexually abuse a 7-year-old boy that occurred between 1969 and 1970, and were later revealed to Brian in 1999. In a statement in July, Brian Houston insisted that he did not find out about his father's abuse until 30 years after the event and that he was honouring the victim's "multiple requests not to inform the police".
"The law at the time granted an exception to reporting a crime of this nature when a person had a reasonable excuse not to report," Houston claimed. "This state law has since further clarified that this type of situation - when an adult victim of child abuse explicitly does not want the matter reported - qualified as a reasonable excuse under the law."
Officials for Sydney's Royal Commission on Institutional Leaders Handling of Sexual Abuses told local outlets, "Police will allege in court the man knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police."
Tags : Brian Houston hillsong church Frank Houston Brian Houston sexual abuse concealment child abuse
Hot Trends
-
GRAMMY-Award Winning Christian Artist Mandisa Passes Away
-
Local Police Offers Update on Mandisa's Death
-
Linda Boles' "The Missionary" Brings Heartfelt Narratives of Compassion and Devotion
-
Is Taylor Swift a Christian?
-
Read TobyMac's Moving Tribute to the Late Diverse City Band's Gabe Patillo
-
Marvin Sapp Set to Record 16th Album on May 31st
-
INTERVIEW: Musician Keith Rovere Shares About Being an Independent Artist & Strategy of Releasing Singles
-
Jerry Savelle, Televangelist & Prosperity Gospel Preacher, Dies
-
Did Noah’s Flood Really Happen? New Film, "The Ark and The Darkness," Presents Undeniable Proof
-
Joy Williams Reveals the Real Reason Behind Civil War's Breakup
-
Hillsong Worship Former Leader Miriam Webster Gets Married
-
Carlos Santana Talks about How Christian Faith Saved Him After Seven Suicide Attempts
-
Gabe Patillo, Voice Actor And TobyMac Diverse City Member, Passes Away
-
Citizen Way Returns with the Celebratory "That Thank You Song!"
-
Anne Wilson's Amazing Story: From Aspiring to Be an Astronaut to Singing for Jesus
Most Popular
-
GRAMMY-Award Winning Christian Artist Mandisa Passes Away
-
Local Police Offers Update on Mandisa's Death
-
Linda Boles' "The Missionary" Brings Heartfelt Narratives of Compassion and Devotion
-
Is Taylor Swift a Christian?
-
Read TobyMac's Moving Tribute to the Late Diverse City Band's Gabe Patillo
-
Marvin Sapp Set to Record 16th Album on May 31st
-
INTERVIEW: Musician Keith Rovere Shares About Being an Independent Artist & Strategy of Releasing Singles
-
Jerry Savelle, Televangelist & Prosperity Gospel Preacher, Dies
-
Did Noah’s Flood Really Happen? New Film, "The Ark and The Darkness," Presents Undeniable Proof
-
Joy Williams Reveals the Real Reason Behind Civil War's Breakup
-
Hillsong Worship Former Leader Miriam Webster Gets Married
-
Carlos Santana Talks about How Christian Faith Saved Him After Seven Suicide Attempts
-
Gabe Patillo, Voice Actor And TobyMac Diverse City Member, Passes Away
-
Citizen Way Returns with the Celebratory "That Thank You Song!"
-
Anne Wilson's Amazing Story: From Aspiring to Be an Astronaut to Singing for Jesus