Brian Houston Charged Over Alleged Concealment Of Child Sex Offences

Hillsong co-founder and church leader Brian Houston has been charged over the alleged concealment of child sex offences.

NSW Police unveiled the damning charges against the 67-year-old yesterday (August 5) afternoon.

Prosecutors will allege 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'.

NSW Police said in a statement: "In 2019, an investigation commenced by officers attached to The Hills Police Area Command into reports a 67-year-old man had knowingly concealed information relating to child sexual offences.

"Following extensive investigations, detectives requested the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) review their brief of evidence.

"Earlier this week, the ODPP provided advice to police, and following further inquiries, detectives served a Court Attendance Notice for conceal serious indictable offence on the man's legal representative."

Houston said he will fly back to Australia to clear his name after leaving the country to preach to followers in Mexico.

He was granted permission to exit Australia by the government and gave a sermon in California last weekend.

The preacher is shocked by the allegations from NSW Police and told 7News that he denies all the claims.

"I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight," he said.

Houston added that the charges 'come as a shock' because of how 'transparent I've always been about this matter'.

He will appear in court to front the charges in October.

The Hillsong Church said it is 'disappointed' to see Houston charged and asks that everyone gives him 'the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right'.

A spokesperson for the Pentecostal megachurch said: "He has advised us that he will defend this and looks forward to clearing his name.

"Given that this matter is now before the court, neither Pastor Brian or Hillsong Church will be making further statements."

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard Brian's late father Frank Houston admitted to child sexual abuse in Australia and New Zealand several decades ago.

Frank Houston died in 2004 and was allowed to retire before the allegations became public.

Featured Image Credit: Brian Houston/Instagram

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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