The perpetrator was Frank Houston, Brian Houston’s father. The elder Houston abused a number of children in his native New Zealand, but the case before the court concerns the abuse of Australian survivor Brian Sengstock as a young boy.

Brian Houston, then State President of the Australian Christian Churches headed the team that dealt with the abuse internally, defrocking the senior Houston, and banning him from preaching.

Brian Houston, who returned to Australia a couple of weeks ago, was not present in court. The case was quickly adjourned until November 23.

The case follws the finding of the Royal Commission into the Institutiona response to Child Sexual Abuse that Houston had failed to report his fathers crime to the state authorities.