: Joanne Naish | The Press | A former Gloriavale man has been charged with damaging Greymouth’s pink church. Redeemed Standfast, 19, left the Gloriavale Christian Community earlier this year. His father Stephen Standfast, who has been named as the next Overseeing Shepherd of the community on the West Coast, was…
: Laura Mills | Greymouth Star | A review of Gloriavale’s charitable status is ongoing, Charities Services says. In June, an Employment Court ruling concluded that six former Gloriavale women were not volunteers but unpaid employees at the Christian community at Lake Haupiri. Gloriavale says the judge got it wrong and…
: Caley Callaghan | Newshub | A report obtained by Newshub shows concern from a government official over Gloriavale’s ability to meet protection measures for its residents. It suggests the arrest of leader Howard Temple for historical sex charges could destabilise the reclusive Christian community’s continuity and leadership structure. But the…
: Greymouth Star A Gloriavale man today admitted three charges of sexual offending that took place at the isolated Christian community 15 years ago. Ready Standtrue, 32, did not seek continued name suppression in the Greymouth District Court this morning. He pleaded guilty to two charges of indecently assaulting a female…
: Joanne Naish | The Press | A Gloriavale man confessed his sexual offending to police after his victim asked him to own up when she found out he was teaching children in the community’s school. Ready Standtrue, 32, pleaded guilty to two charges of indecently assaulting and one of sexually…
: Niva Chittock | RNZ | Warning: This story contains details that may distress some readers. A woman who accused a man of raping her at Gloriavale was told there was no way she would ever marry and was written off as a “whore” and a “slut”, a Greymouth court has…
: RNZ | Checkpoint | Jonathan Benjamin is facing 20 charges, including four of rape, during his time at the Gloriavale Christian Community between 1986 and 2017. Crown lawyer, Kerry White, says some of the complainants were aged between six and 14 when they say they were attacked. The five complainants,…
: Niva Chittock | RNZ | The trial of a man accused of committing serious sexual offending against children at Gloriavale will begin this morning in Greymouth. Jonathan Benjamin is charged with various sexual offences against children and young women, including four counts of rape, from his time with the reclusive…
: Joanne Naish | The Press| International cult experts and survivors will gather to raise awareness of cults and the harm they cause in Christchurch next year. Christchurch journalist and author of Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion and Control Anke Richter is organising Decult, a conference due to take…
: Joanne Naish | The Press | A man is on trial for 20 charges of sexual offending against children spanning more than 30 years at the Gloriavale Christian community. Jonathan Benjamin, 58, is facing a jury trial in the Greymouth District Court. He has pleaded not guilty to four charges…
