Peter Lang found guilty of five child sex offences

A jury has found a former radio star guilty of five historic child sex offences after a week-long trial on the Sunshine Coast.

Peter Lang leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A former Sunshine Coast radio personality has been convicted of five historic child sex offences involving a 13-year-old girl in the 1980s.

Peter Lang sat motionless in the dock of the Maroochydore District Court on Wednesday afternoon as he was convicted of five offences from a total of 16 charges.

The five charges include two indecent treatment of a child and three carnal knowledge of a child under 16.

Lang, 65, had pleaded not guilty to 22 historic child sex offences involving two underage girls on the first day of his criminal trial on Tuesday, March 5.

Last Friday, six charges were ultimately dropped.

Defence barrister, Saul Holt, told the jury throughout the trial Lang, who was aged 29 at the time of the his interactions with the girls, believed the girls were 16.

The jury found Lang not guilty of indecent treatment and carnal knowledge involving the second girl.

Over the course of the trial the jury heard Lang met up with a 13-year-old girl after she called the Nambour radio station 4SS, where he worked as a presenter, to request a song.

The jury heard Lang and the girl then met at the grounds of a local primary school where they had sex on multiple occasions.

Peter Lang leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

On Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks concluded the closing arguments to the jury, telling them Lang’s behaviour after the victim’s mother nearly found out about their relationship was “revealing”.

Ms Marks read a comment from a recorded conversation between Lang and the victim to the jury, which stated “I reckon it probably scared me that your mum nearly found out”.

The jury found Lang was not guilty of seven of the charges, including four charges of carnal knowledge and three charges of indecent treatment of a child under 16.

On four of the charges, including two alleged rape offences, the jury were discharged after they were unable to reach a majority verdict.

Defence barrister Laura Dawson told the court Lang should be granted bail as he awaits sentence due to extensive mental health issues.

Ms Marks told the court it was prosecution’s position Lang spend a portion of time behind bars.

District Court judge Glen Cash told the court it was an unusual case, stating Lang’s lack of criminal history and enlarged his bail.

Mr Cash told the court Lang will be sentenced on May 10, 2024.