Trial for man accused of sexual offending against Gloriavale children gets underway

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 Christian community between 1986 and 2017.

At least one of the complainants was aged 12 or younger at the time of the alleged offending.

Some of the charges date back to the community’s former Springbank site in North Canterbury, while others related to his time at the current site in Haupiri, on the West Coast.

Benjamin entered not guilty pleas to 20 charges, but pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault of a girl aged 12-16.

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