Gloriavale leader Howard Temple on trial for alleged sexual offending over 25 years
A woman says Gloriavale leader Howard Temple pushed his body against hers as she worked in the kitchen, called her is “favourite girlfriend” and, after she got married, ask her personal questions about her sex life.
Gloriavale’s “Overseeing Shepherd” – the head of the Christian community on the West Coast that some consider to be a cult – is on trial in Greymouth facing 24 charges of sexual offending spanning more than 25 years against nine alleged victims aged as young as 9 at the time.
Temple admits he hugged girls, but denies anything indecent occurred. He says any touching of bottoms was accidental and there was never any sexual motive to his gestures of affection.
The first complainant giving evidence said she felt uncomfortable with Temple’s continued hugging, but was too scared to say anything.
She said it was not acceptable to question leaders and Temple had “authority to make decisions and ultimately to change trajectory of my life”.
She said Temple would come up behind her and undo her belt, which was required to be tied in a bow at the back of her long blue dress. He would call her his favourite girlfriend.
He would wrap his arms tightly around her waist, with his body right up against her back. “I wouldn’t have been able to move unless I struggled,” she said.
If she was serving his drink in the dining room, he would rub her legs from her calves to the back of her thigh.
The touching began when she was about 15 and ended after she got married at 22.
In her police interview played to the court, she said after she had been married a week or two, he stopped her in the kitchen and asked “How’s your sex life going? Is it enjoyable? Is it fun? Have you tried different positions?”.
“I looked at the floor and he went on to advise me it was fine to have oral sex and it’s not against the bible and we should try it. I looked at the floor the whole time and didn’t say anything,” she said.
The Crown says Temple touched or rubbed girls as young as 9 who served him at dinner or worked in the kitchen, including on their legs, backs, inner thighs and bottoms.
He allegedly kissed two girls and touched two girls’ breasts. Five complainants allege he touched their bottoms.
Howard Wendell Temple, 85, faces 24 counts of indecent assault. Three further charges were withdrawn.
Temple is being aided by a communication assistant due to hearing difficulties.
Crown prosecutor Kerry White said in her opening address the complainants were all members of Gloriavale Christian Community in Haupiri and the incidents spanned from 1997 to 2022.
White said at the time of the alleged offending the nine complainants were aged between 9 and 20 years. Temple was aged between 57 and 82 years old.
She said primary aged schoolgirls, aged 9 to 12 years old, were rostered onto teams to serve drinks in morning and meals at night.
“While the girls would stand close serving him drink or food the defendant would take the opportunity to touch their body, legs, bottom, inner thigh or rub their side and lower back,” she said.
When the complainants became older teenagers they would work in the kitchen, she said. They alleged Temple would approach them from behind and touch their bottoms, back, side and waist. He allegedly kissed a girl on the neck and touched one girl’s breast.
One 16-year-old girl was allegedly approached from behind by Temple in the men’s bathroom. She alleged he reached his arm over shoulder and grabbed her breast.
White said police spoke to Temple after he became Overseeing Shepherd when founder Hopeful Christian died in 2018. The West Coast police inspector Jacqui Corner told him police were investigating complaints from former members of unwanted touching by male members of the community, including him, White said.
Corner told him he was not allowed to touch community members without permission or consent.
“In spite of this very clear warning by police the defendant continued a pattern of touching,” she said.
Defence counsel Michael Vesty said in his opening address Temple was a long serving spiritual and community leader.
He said the leaders were involved in the personal and spiritual lives of community members. He said Temple, as a leader, expressed his affection by hugging members and putting his arm around their waist while offering “comments of care”.
He denied any of the conduct was indecent and never intended to upset or make them feel uncomfortable.
“He had no sexual motivation,” he said.
He said Temple was saddened the women now considered his actions indecent. He said Temple considered the hugs were reciprocated and were given as thanks for acts of service in community.
He said Gloriavale had a “culture of close relationships, communal living and strong pastoral connections”.
He said Temple accepted he hugged he girls working in the dining hall while asking them how their day was or telling them they were loved.
“He did not grope, did not grab, did not linger. He, in front of hundreds of others in the room, thanked the girls for serving drinks to himself and others at table,” he said.
He showed affection to those working in kitchen, but denied touching girls breasts or kissing them on the neck.
“Accidental touching of bottoms may have occurred,” he said.
He said complainants saying they felt uncomfortable did not make the act indecent.
“These were gestures of affection, hugs around the waist and words of support by a leader of their community.”
The judge-alone trial before Judge Raoul Neave is expected to last two weeks.