Sydney court acquits global megachurch Hillsong founder of hiding sexual abuse committed by his father

In Sydney, Australia, Brian Houston, the founder of the global megachurch Hillsong, has been acquitted by a court of concealing sexual abuse committed by his father, former pastor Frank Houston, during the 1970s.

The Downing Centre Local and District Court issued a verdict on Thursday, clearing 69-year-old Houston of charges related to not reporting the crimes of his father to the authorities. The court’s decision was based on Houston’s compliance with the victim Brett Sengstock’s wishes, as Sengstock did not want the crimes reported to the police. Houston was acquitted of concealing an indictable offense.

After the verdict, Brian Houston addressed reporters outside the court, expressing sadness for those whose lives were harmed and asserting his innocence. He stated, “But I am not my father. I did not commit this offense.”

Magistrate Gareth Christofi emphasized that there was substantial evidence that Houston was aware of Sengstock’s desire not to report the abuse. Christofi concluded that Houston had a valid reason for not bringing the matter to the police’s attention.

Brett Sengstock, the victim who chose not to remain anonymous, was present in the court during the hearing. He had previously testified that Frank Houston, Brian’s father and a pastor, had sexually assaulted him repeatedly from the age of seven. Sengstock referred to Frank Houston’s legacy as that of a “paedophile,” emphasizing that regardless of the verdict, he felt like he had received a life sentence.

Brian Houston became aware of the abuse much later and reported it to church leaders, but not to the police. Frank Houston confessed to his crimes in 1999, and although he was defrocked by the church, he was never charged and passed away in 2004.

Brian Houston’s defense in court was centered on the fact that he did not report the crimes because, at the time of his knowledge, Sengstock was an adult and had expressed a desire to avoid police involvement.

In a previous statement in 2022, Brian Houston acknowledged his father’s wrongdoing, asserting, “I have no doubt now my father was a serial paedophile, and we’ll probably never know the extent of it.” Frank Houston had admitted to other executives within Australia’s Pentecostal church network that he had sexually abused children.