Radio personality, Peter Lang faces jury accused of rape, child abuse

The jury in the trial a former Sunshine Coast radio star charged with historic child sex offences is considering its verdict after a week of evidence.

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

The closing arguments in the trial of a former Sunshine Coast radio announcer wrapped up on Tuesday morning and the jury began to consider its verdict.

The jury in the trial of a former radio personality Peter Lang began deliberations shortly before 1pm on Tuesday, March 12, one week after Peter Lang pleaded not guilty in the Maroochydore District Court to 22 child sex offences.

During the course of the trial six charges against Mr Lang were dropped.

Eight counts of carnal knowledge, two of indecent treatment of a child under 16, four of indecent treatment of a child under 14 and two rape charges remain.

The charges that remain relate to two underage teenage girls Mr Lang, 65, had sexual relationships with in the 1980s while he was working at a Sunshine Coast radio station.

Defence barrister for Mr Lang, Saul Holt, argued throughout the trial the 65-year-old believed both girls were 16 at the time of the alleged offences.

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

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

District Court Judge Glen Cash told the jury during his summing up the real issue was regarding Mr Lang’s beliefs about the alleged victims’ ages.

Mr Cash also reminded the jury of the arguments made by Mr Lang’s defence, Mr Holt.

“Mr Holt then referred to the evidence of other surrounding circumstances to suggest there were plenty of indicators supporting the belief that each of them were 16 years of age,” Mr Cash said.

The jury is expected to continue deliberations on Wednesday.

Day 5 of the trial

A former radio personality charged with multiple child sex offences alleged to have taken place in the 1980s has taken the stand in his trial.

Peter Lang, 65, previously pleaded not guilty to 22 charges involving two girls on Tuesday, March 5.

On Friday, six of the charges were dropped.

Day five of the trial started with the former radio personality back in the dock for cross examination by crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks.

Ms Marks put it to Mr Lang he had suggested to the two alleged victims they each meet with him on the grounds of two primary schools because it aroused him.

Mr Lang, who was 29 at the time of the alleged offences, strenuously denied the accusation, telling the jury it was “a complete lie”.

Ms Marks also told the jury Mr Lang’s version of events, where he alleged he had asked one girl of her age more than once before having sex, indicated he did not believe she was 16 years old at the time.

“You’d only ask again if you weren’t sure,” Ms Marks said.

Mr Lang responded he had “asked her to be reassured” of her age.

Barrister for Mr Lang, Saul Holt, told the jury during his closing arguments the prosecution’s case had “fallen apart”, referring to the six discontinued charges.

Mr Holt told the jury Mr Lang’s decision to have his friend meet with one of the alleged victims proved he did not believe the girl was aged under 16.

“The prosecution is right, why on earth does Peter Lang send his housemate, who he actually doesn’t know that well, to go and meet the girl, who the crown says he knew was 13 years old,” Mr Holt said.

“It just beggars belief, members of the jury, that act tells you what was going on in Peter Lang’s mind at the time.”

The housemate is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Ms Marks told the jury in the prosecution’s closing arguments, Mr Lang had used his local radio fame to satisfy his own sexual interests.

“This is a trial about an older man abusing his celebrity status and his age to satisfy his sexual interest in two underage girls, that he either knew or clearly believed were under the age of 16,” Ms Marks said.

Day 4 of the trial

A former Sunshine Coast radio celebrity who has been accused of rape and indecent treatment has had six of 22 charges dropped against him, with a seventh amended on day four of the trial.

Mr Lang previously pleaded not guilty to 22 charges relating to child abuse offences involving two girls in the 1980s.

The charges included 11 counts of carnal knowledge, two of indecent treatment of a child under 16, seven of indecent treatment of a child under 14 and two rape charges.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court the crown discontinued six charges and amended one charge of having carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 to one count of indecent treatment of a girl under 14.

Mr Lang pleaded not guilty to this charge.

After six charges were dropped, eight counts of carnal knowledge, two of indecent treatment of a child under 16, four of indecent treatment of a child under 14 and two rape charges remain.

Ms Marks had called another three witnesses to give evidence on Friday who were a neighbour of Mr Lang in the 1980s, a friend who Mr Lang had met through sporting events and the primary investigation officer.

Mr Lang’s friend had told the court the radio host had asked him to meet a girl — who he could not tell the age of — at Mooloolaba one evening to tell her to “stop pestering” Mr Lang.

He said he had consoled the girl when she became visibly upset and uncomfortable.

Defence barrister Saul Holt then gave his opening remarks to the jury.

Mr Holt said his client had met up with women for sex after speaking on the phone through his radio gig.

He said one of the girls had lied to Mr Lang when they first met, saying she was 16, and they did not have sex in her home on the occasion the girl was babysitting with a friend.

The girls allegedly pulled a prank on Mr Lang which caused him anger, and the girl said she would “make it up to him”.

Mr Holt said the pair then had sex whilst they were alone in her home and he was still convinced she was 16 at the time.

He told the jury the girl had a “teenage crush” on Mr Lang and had been “obsessed”, calling him often.

Mr Lang then sent his friend to end things with the girl and later met up with her himself to say “it was over”, leaving her “heartbroken”.

Mr Holt then spoke about the other girl, which involved the two charges of rape.

He said the girl allegedly told Mr Lang she was 16, chose to meet up with him at a school, and told him how she was angry and wanted to rebel against her parents.

Mr Holt alleged the girl had pointed to Mr Lang’s crotch and said she “wanted to learn more about that”.

They allegedly laid down below a pine tree, which caused the girl to receive a rash from the needles on the ground, and she allegedly did not say stop at any time.

He told the court Mr Lang recalled they “probably” had sex about four times and there were discussions of him being her “sex teacher”.

Mr Lang then allegedly told the girl it was over and then “ghosted” her, leaving the girl heartbroken.

The former radio host participated in cross-examination and told the court the first girl had repeatedly prank called him off-air until he told her it was over.

He said the second girl had told him “don’t worry, I’m legal and 16” after she asked for sexual intercourse.

Mr Lang told the court on all the occasions they had sex at the same spot and had each once given each other oral sex.

Ms Marks began her cross-examination on Friday afternoon and will continue on Monday.

Day 3 of the trial

The District Court trial of the former radio host continued on Thursday after the second day consisted of witness statements closed to the public.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks called for eight witnesses to give evidence for the jury including friends and family of the victims as well as former roommates, a former employer and a colleague of Mr Lang.

One of the witnesses - a friend of one of the girls – told the court Mr Lang had visited the girl’s home when she was babysitting with the friend whilst her parents were not home.

She said it had been her own idea for the girl to call the radio station and she thought a “friendship” had formed between her and Mr Lang during the call.

The witness told the court Mr Lang had visited on several occasions, and she was terrified the girl’s parents would come home.

She recalled the girl had told her at one point she and Mr Lang would “hook up at the radio station”.

She then told of another occasion Mr Lang and the girl had moved to her parents’ room while she stayed in the girl’s own room one night.

The witness told the court she had asked if she had sex with Mr Lang after she returned from the room to which the girl confirmed.

Two witnesses – the second girl’s older sister and a friend of the sister – then told the court how they discovered Mr Lang’s alleged offending.

The victim’s sister described how the three of them had called the radio station to request songs and Mr Lang had asked them what they looked like and how old they were.

She said all three of them had listened into the call, laughed and flirted with Mr Lang.

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

The victim’s sister then suddenly told the girl to hang up the phone when “something went too far” and Mr Lang had said something which “wasn’t right” to the girl, the witness said.

The victim’s sister then began to sniffle as she told the court how the girl had revealed to her on a separate occasion she had met up at a park with Mr Lang and had sex.

The friend of the victim’s sister told the court earlier the girl – who was between 13 and 14-years-old at the time – confessed to her Mr Lang raped her on a primary school oval.

Ms Marks then read out a written statement from a high school friend of the victim.

The statement read she was often there when the girl called the station, and Mr Lang allegedly told the girl she “sounded really nice and we should meet up sometime”.

The “flirting” continued and the pair organised to meet up at a school and then had sex, the court heard.

Ms Marks read out from the statement the girl had been a virgin at the time, received a rash during the incident and felt uncomfortable due to the setting.

She said on another occasion the girl told her friend Mr Lang had taught her how to give oral sex and asked if she could smell ejaculation on her breath.

The court heard Mr Lang allegedly had given her compliments saying she was beautiful and the girl believed they were in love, but she had not heard from Mr Lang again.

It is expected more witness statements shall be heard on Friday.

Opening day

A former local celebrity accused of rape and child abuse offences sought out girls who called in to request music at the radio station he worked for, a court has heard.

Peter Lang appeared in the dock for day one of his criminal trial in the Maroochydore District Court on Tuesday, March 5.

The former radio personality pleaded not guilty to 22 charges relating to child abuse offences involving two girls in the 1980s.

The charges included 11 counts of carnal knowledge, two of indecent treatment of a child under 16, seven of indecent treatment of a child under 14 and two rape charges.

The jury were told the alleged victims were aged under 16 and under 14 at the time of the offences, which are alleged to have taken place in Nambour, Mooloolaba and Buderim.

Crown prosecutor, Rebecca Marks, told the jury during her opening remarks Mr Lang was working at a Nambour radio station named 4SS at the time of the alleged offences. 4SS was the forerunner to 92.7 Mix FM radio, now based at Maroochydore.

“You are going to hear in this trial from two separate women how the defendant came to know them and have their details from when they contacted the radio station and called up to request music at a time when they were under 16 years of age,” Ms Marks said.

“How the defendant knowing they were under 16 years of age or at the least not having any reasonable belief they were over the age of 16 years, sought both girls out and engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual activity with each girl.”

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

Ms Marks told the jury Mr Lang allegedly told one complainant she was “too young” to receive tickets he was giving away on the radio.

Ms Marks also told the jury Mr Lang allegedly told another complainant he could “teach her to be a good lover” but she was to not tell anyone because he could “get into big trouble”.

The jury heard one alleged victim recorded a meeting with Mr Lang in 2021, in which he responded to her statement she was 13-years-old at the time with, “you were 13? Jesus”.

Barrister for Mr Lang, Saul Holt, told the jury “attitudes and norms” were different during the time of the alleged offences.

“Peter Lang genuinely and reasonably believed at the time that each of the complainants were 16-years-old,” Mr Holt said.

“It will not be the first time that a teenage girl has lied about her age to an older, good-looking man that is a local celebrity.”

Mr Holt emphasised each sexual encounter had occurred with consent.

Originally published as Radio personality, Peter Lang faces jury accused of rape, child abuse