Petford youth worker Geoff Guest, 98, faces child sexual abuse trial

A former youth worker and OAM recipient who set up a remote youth camp dealing with troubled teens is facing trial charged with the historic sexual abuse of a teenage boy over two years in the 70s.

Petford youth worker Geoff Guest, 98, faces child sexual abuse trial. Picture: Brendan Radke

A 98-year-old former youth worker and OAM recipient who set up a remote camp in Queensland to deal with wayward kids, is accused of sexually abusing a young boy over two years in the 70s, “regularly flogging” him and “treating him like a dog”.

Geoff John Guest pleaded not guilty to six child sexual abuse charges including four counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, repeated sexual conduct with a child under 16 and carnal knowledge of a child under 16 in Cairns District Court this week.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the court the alleged offences occurred between 1975 and 1977 when Mr Guest was in his late 40s.

Former youth worker Geoff Guest OAM leaves the Cairns District Court with supporters and members of his legal team. Mr Guest is charged with historic sexual abuse offences on a child under 16. Picture: Brendan Radke

The charges predate Mr Guest’s move to Petford where he would later set up a youth camp which ran from 1978 to 1999.

Ms Friedewald told the court the charges related to a boy who was between 14 and 15 at the time.

She told the court Mr Guest submitted the teenager to various acts of repeated and frequent sexual abuse over two years.

“It became a pattern that occurred all the time, sometimes three times a week.”

Ms Friedewald told the court that Mr Guest was known as a “harsh man” and the boy “got hidings,” was hit with a strap, punched, and threatened with a whip over the course of the abuse. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Friedewald told the court that Mr Guest was known as a “harsh man” and the boy “got hidings,” was hit with a strap, punched, and threatened with a whip over the course of the abuse.

She said the boy was often alone with Mr Guest at the time.

“He was regularly flogged, Mr Guest treated him like a dog.”

Geoff Guest, founder of the highly acclaimed Petford Training Camp in the Atherton Tablelands. Picture: Supplied

Horse handler and bushman Geoff Guest ran a successful on country program for juvenile delinquents since 1979. Picture: Brendan Radke

The court heard that after one instance of sexual assault Mr Guest told the boy to “get a drink of water, you’ll be right”.

Ms Friedewald said the alleged abuse became so bad the alleged victim held a loaded gun to his head before discharging it into the ceiling of a shed.

“For that he received another flogging,” she said.

The court heard the abuse continued until the boy moved away for work and broke contact with Mr Guest.

Ms Friedewald told the court the alleged victim kept the abuse secret until his partner saw Mr Guest on an episode of 60 Minutes talking about his youth work at Petford Station.

Horse handler and bushman Geoff Guest has been running a on country program for juvenile delinquents since 1979. Picture: Brendan Radke

She asked if he knew Mr Guest and he revealed the extent of the alleged abuse to her.

Ms Friedewald said a report was provided to police in 2012 but was not signed and an investigation was not progressed until 2022 when police got back in touch.

In a brief opening Mr Guest’s defence Counsel Kelly Goodwin told the jury the crown case would rise or fall on the complainant’s evidence.

“It is the only direct evidence,” he said.

“Keep an open mind and scrutinise the evidence, compare and contrast the details in the different accounts.”

The complainant’s evidence will be heard when the trial resumes on Thursday.

Originally published as Petford youth worker Geoff Guest, 98, faces child sexual abuse trial