Church child predator jailed for indecent treatment of child

A man who repeatedly indecently touched a young girl he knew through his church has been jailed, with the victim confronting him in court as she described the impact had on her life.

A woman has revealed the impact on her of indecent treatment as a child at the hands of someone from her church

A man who repeatedly indecently touched a young girl he knew through his church over almost three years has been jailed, with the victim bravely confronting him in court as she described the impact had on her life.

William John Harding, 83, pleaded guilty to one count each of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child and indecent treatment of a child in Brisbane District Court.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Crown prosecutor Thomasina Papadimitriou said Harding knew the victim through the Brisbane church they attended.

The court heard the offending spanned May 2003 to February 2006 when the victim was aged between 5 and 7, with five instances of indecent touching occurring.

Ms Papadimitriou said Harding enticed the child with toys and lollies.

“The conduct started with the defendant asking what colour her underwear were, and then asking her to show him her underwear,” she told the court.

“The defendant touched the complainant on the vagina during and after the church services at multiple locations around the church which he led her to, including at the side of the church where there were airconditioning boxes.

“He also offended against her in [his] car and in [the victim’s] family vehicle.”

The court also heard that Harding told the child not to tell her parents and “it was a game”.

As Ms Papadimitriou detailed the allegations, Harding bowed and shook his head.

The victim detailed how she was still affected to this day as an adult.

“I didn’t like myself and self-sabotaged at a young age by plucking out all of my eyebrows, pulling out my hair, and digging out my nails. I still do this today when I’m anxious,” she said.

“My entire family was groomed, lied to, and betrayed.

“I considered taking my own life on several occasions … I thought I could never escape the pain and shame.

“I had issues sexually. I told my husband that I wasn’t comfortable with him touching me on my vagina because it brought flashbacks.”

The second charge - indecent treatment of a child - involved a separate young victim in February 2009.

“He placed his hand on her thigh, he moved his hand towards her vagina, she moved his hand back towards her leg,” Ms Papadimitriou said.

“A short time later the defendant pushed his hand underneath her skirt. She felt uncomfortable when he did that.”

The second victim also addressed the court on Tuesday.

She described how her parents initially dismissed her claims.

She said the crime “affected every aspect of her life” and she suffered frequent nightmares and feelings of anger, and found it “incredibly difficult to make and maintain friendships”.

Ms Papadimitriou said Harding should be sentenced to at least four years’ imprisonment.

Defence barrister Gregory McGuire, representing Harding, asked for a three-year sentence.

Mr McGuire said Harding had been married for almost 59 years and his wife was in court on Tuesday with him. The court heard Harding has kidney problems, hearing aids for both ears, and arthritis in his knees and ankles - meaning he walks with a cane or walking frame.

Mr McGuire said Harding’s wife also had health issues, and he did most of the housework and drives her around as she does not have a driver’s licence.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Byrne described Harding’s offending as “horrendous and shameful” acts to victims who were “in every sense of the word a child”.

“You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself, you were a person who sought to act in the name of God … you used that position to offend,” Judge Byrne said regarding the first victim.

The court heard that a senior member of the church put the allegations to Harding prior to police being involved, and Harding denied them.

“It causes me no joy to punish your wife and your family, but that is the consequences of your conduct,” Judge Byrne told Harding.

“The sentence I impose now will not, I suspect, reflect the complainants’ wishes for retribution.”

Judge Byrne sentenced Harding to four years’ imprisonment, but ordered the sentence be suspended for a period of four years once Harding has served nine months in jail.

Convictions were recorded on both counts.