![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjczZTQ3ZDgtYjA4NC00ZWE0LTg4YjEtMjQwYThhZjdiYjEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,40,500,281_.jpg)
Last week, a court in Sydney, Australia, acquitted the founder of the global megachurch Hillsong of covering up his father’s child sexual abuse in the 1970s.
The ruling found that Brian Houston had followed his father’s victim Brett Sengstock‘s request to not report the abuse to the police. Magistrate Gareth Christofi said there was “little doubt” Houston knew Sengstock did not want the abuse to be reported and thus “had a reasonable excuse for not bringing the matter to the attention of police.”
Houston addressed reporters on Thursday, saying, “A lot of people’s lives have been tragically hurt, and for that, I’ll always be very sad. But I am not my father. I did not commit this offense.”
Sengstock was in the court to hear the verdict. He previously recalled during the trial that he was repeatedly raped by Houston’s father, Frank Houston.
After the ruling,...
The ruling found that Brian Houston had followed his father’s victim Brett Sengstock‘s request to not report the abuse to the police. Magistrate Gareth Christofi said there was “little doubt” Houston knew Sengstock did not want the abuse to be reported and thus “had a reasonable excuse for not bringing the matter to the attention of police.”
Houston addressed reporters on Thursday, saying, “A lot of people’s lives have been tragically hurt, and for that, I’ll always be very sad. But I am not my father. I did not commit this offense.”
Sengstock was in the court to hear the verdict. He previously recalled during the trial that he was repeatedly raped by Houston’s father, Frank Houston.
After the ruling,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjczZTQ3ZDgtYjA4NC00ZWE0LTg4YjEtMjQwYThhZjdiYjEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,40,500,281_.jpg)
The founder of Hillsong Church, Brian Houston, was found not guilty by an Australian court for covering up his late father’s, preacher Frank Houston, sex abuse allegations.
Brian worked as a senior global pastor in Sydney but was forced to step down after he was accused in 2021. After being charged, he maintained that he was innocent asserting the “charges have come as a shock to me. I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.”
Officials issued a statement in 2021 that read, “Police will allege in court [Houston] 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.”
It was ruled on Thursday by Syndey Magistrate Gareth Christofi that Brian had good reason not to share this sexual abuse as he believed the...
Brian worked as a senior global pastor in Sydney but was forced to step down after he was accused in 2021. After being charged, he maintained that he was innocent asserting the “charges have come as a shock to me. I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.”
Officials issued a statement in 2021 that read, “Police will allege in court [Houston] 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.”
It was ruled on Thursday by Syndey Magistrate Gareth Christofi that Brian had good reason not to share this sexual abuse as he believed the...
- 8/18/2023
- by Nina Hauswirth
- Uinterview
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODhlNGJjODMtZTE1Ny00MjdmLWE0YzItYTNkY2QzYTZmOGUyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UY281_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
Hillsong is best known as the international church that has attracted a flock of A-list attendees, including Justin and Hailey Bieber, Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Kevin Durant, and Kylie and Kendall Jenner. When Dan Johnstone first approached making a documentary about the church — the three-part Discovery Plus docuseries “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed” — however, his interest was far more wide-ranging.
“I was a child of the ‘80s and ‘90s,” Johnstone said in his first interview about the project, which he executive produced. “I was, like, a huge sneakerhead; I’m into music, I’m into fashion. I grew up in a religious household. And so I sort of followed Hillsong, and I just saw this church that had crossed through all of those barriers.”
Having worked with Discovery on two previous projects, Johnstone and his company Breaklight Pictures set out to tell the story of how Hillsong — the popular, scandal-plagued church...
“I was a child of the ‘80s and ‘90s,” Johnstone said in his first interview about the project, which he executive produced. “I was, like, a huge sneakerhead; I’m into music, I’m into fashion. I grew up in a religious household. And so I sort of followed Hillsong, and I just saw this church that had crossed through all of those barriers.”
Having worked with Discovery on two previous projects, Johnstone and his company Breaklight Pictures set out to tell the story of how Hillsong — the popular, scandal-plagued church...
- 3/14/2022
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjVkZGEwOTQtYmQwYS00NDk0LWI0YTQtOGQ1NjFmZDRlNTE0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,40,500,281_.jpg)
Current Hillsong megachurch leader Brian Houston is facing criminal charges in connection to his late father’s history of child sexual abuse. Police in Australia alleged that Brian confronted his father Frank Houston about molesting children, but, when he admitted to it, did not attempt to contact the authorities. The New South Wales police, who charged […]
The post Hillsong Church Leader Brian Houston Charged With Concealing Child Sex Abuse appeared first on uInterview.
The post Hillsong Church Leader Brian Houston Charged With Concealing Child Sex Abuse appeared first on uInterview.
- 8/8/2021
- by Madeline Hoverkamp
- Uinterview
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.