Hillsong founder Brian Houston says it's fairly probably his father sexually abused a number of kids and the true variety of victims could by no means be recognized.
Frank Houston confessed to his son about one case of abuse in 1999, which occurred in New Zealand a number of a long time earlier.
After the abuse got here to mild, Frank Houston was banned from preaching, however nothing was performed by Houston or the church to tell the general public or alert authorities.
Houston is standing trial for allegedly protecting up the abuse till his father's dying in 2004, to which he has pleaded not responsible.
"I've little question now my father was a serial pedophile and we'll in all probability by no means know the extent of it," Houston advised Sydney's Downing Centre Native Court docket on Monday.
He additionally advised the court docket he didn't imagine his father remained a danger to the group in his previous age attributable to his diminishing psychological state.
Justice of the Peace Gareth Christofi requested Houston if he had any considerations his father would sexually abuse different kids after he did not report the allegations.
"Did you not assume, 'individuals actually should learn about this ... as a result of it is doubtlessly harmful'?" Mr Christofi requested.
"At 78 years of age, failing well being, I did not imagine he nonetheless was a danger to anybody," Houston replied.
"Bodily he was wholesome however his reminiscence was failing in a short time."
Houston additionally claimed there was no proof his father continued to abuse minors after across the late Nineteen Seventies.
He added that he did not imagine his mom ever understood the "gravity" of the abuse carried out by his father.
"My mom by no means understood. She was from I suppose a unique era. She had her head within the sand," Houston advised the court docket.
"She was complaining about Frank being handled too harshly."
Houston advised the court docket his father had met his sufferer at Sydney's Redfern station and organised to pay him $2000, later topped up with a $10,000 cost when Houston intervened.
"It was his feeble try and try to proper the flawed," Houston mentioned.
Houston additionally mentioned he spoke to his father's sufferer on the telephone and supplied him counselling on behalf of the Assemblies of God in Australia.
"He mentioned 'I do not need your bloody counselling' and he reduce the assembly brief," Houston mentioned.
He mentioned he was concerned in organising to pay the sufferer the extra $10,000 which he did by means of a lawyer to keep away from it showing like a cover-up.
He advised the court docket he needed to ensure that in paying the cash he was not in any method silencing the sufferer or stopping him from going to the police sooner or later.
"I used to be desirous to watch out that there was no cover-up right here ... and it could not be seen that there was a cover-up," Houston mentioned.
It was his intention to distance himself and the church from the cost, he mentioned.
"I needed to make certain no matter doc was being drawn up that this was a cost from Frank to (the sufferer) - between these too," Houston mentioned.
"I used to be making an attempt to remain arms size from it."
Houston mentioned he later obtained a name from the sufferer saying he had not been paid and had been advised by Frank Houston that he had no cash.
"I used to be annoyed that no cash had been paid but additionally I used to be annoyed Frank had advised the sufferer to telephone me," Houston mentioned.
Houston mentioned it was his understanding the cash was ultimately paid however he didn't know by whom.
"Are you aware what the phrases for the cost ended up being?" Houston's lawyer Phillip Boulten SC requested him.
"No," he replied.
The listening to continues.
© AAP 2022