A commital hearing was held today and the Courier Mail reported :
A businessman and former Jehovah’s Witness figure on the Sunshine Coast
will stand trial after he allegedly groomed a man over 11 years and
raped him while he chanted affirmations.
The man was charged with 54 offences including 21 counts of rape, 17 of
sexual assault, torture and incest, the last of which was alleged to
have been against his great-nephew.
Defence barrister Saul Holt contested the charges of incest and
torture, arguing the legal definition of incest did not include
great-nephews. He also told the court the psychological trauma did
not categorise under “severe pain and suffering” of the torture charge
and asked it be dismissed.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan discharged the man of incest and torture, leaving 52 charges remaining.
Mr Holt also told the court the sexual encounters relating to two of the alleged victims were consensual.
Mr Callaghan directed the matter of consent was for a jury to hear and
committed the matter to the Maroochydore District Court for trial. He adjourned the matter until September 25.