‘Not how you look after your flock’: Gloriavale’s former leader sentenced for decades of sexual abuse
Gloriavale leader on trial for decades of alleged sexual abuse (Video published July 2025)
VIDEO CREDIT: ThreeNews
Gloriavale’s once-powerful leader has been sentenced to over two years in prison for a catalogue of sexual offences that targeted girls and young women over more than two decades.
Howard Temple, 85, was sentenced on Friday at the Greymouth District Court by Judge Raoul Neave.
Temple had previously pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including indecent assault, committing an indecent act and common assault.
His offending involved nine girls and women, aged between 9 and 20, and occurred between 1998 and 2022. Several charges are “representative”, indicating police believe the behaviour happened repeatedly under similar circumstances.
Temple had changed his plea three days into his trial, but by that stage, five of the nine complainants had already taken the stand.
On Friday, many of those that suffered at the hands of Temple, spoke in court detailing the trauma they had endured at his hands.
Speaking directly to Temple, one woman said “the impact of your actions has lasted decades,” adding that it was “harm that I will carry for the rest of my life”.
Another described her experience as being “overwhelming”, adding that she is still learning how to “trust her judgement”.
The woman said she is “regularly exhausted” as a result of Temple’s abuse, and that the harm caused by Temple had affected her relationships, including with her partner.
A third woman said she hoped Temple would listen to the “truth” and take “accountability” for his actions.
In summing up the case, Judge Neave, told Temple “If he wanted to be regarded as a Shepherd, this is not how you look after your flock”.
As a leader of the Gloriavale community, Neave said that Temple was there to “teach good principles and practice”, and to assure “appropriate treatment” of the communities members.
“They were children,” Neave told Temple, adding that the “most significant” set of offences was the “numerous occasions” Temple rubbed the victim’s bottoms.
Neave said that Temple’s “criminal” behaviour has continued to have a “contribution” on the issues the victims continue to grapple with.
Temple was sentenced to 26 months behind bars.