Hillsong Founder Brian Houston Loses Bid to have $1,000,000 in Court Costs Covered By Taxpayer
Former Hillsong Global Senior Leader Brian Houston has lost his bid to have over one million dollars in legal bills covered by the taxpayer.
The denial of the sum is the result of his recent trial, which saw him defending himself from allegations of covering up his pedophile father’s sexual abuse against a young boy. Houston filed to recoup his fees through the courts on the basis that the whole prosecution was a sham and never should have happened in the first place, but was denied.
It’s more bad news for the prosperity-preaching hypocrite who, while currently in the process of launching a new church, was recently shamed after his personal Twitter page threw up a post with the caption “Ladies and girls kissing,” leading most (and the evidence) to surmise he accidentally put those words into social media’s search bar looking for porn or trying to follow an account.
According to News.com.au
Mr Houston’s legal team returned to court on Friday after applying to have his fees – which the court was told amounted to $1m – covered by the prosecution.
Magistrate Gareth Christofi dismissed the application, stating he was “not persuaded there were any exceptional circumstances relating to the conduct of the prosecutor”.
Mr Christofi told the court that he was not convinced the proceedings brought against Mr Houston were “initiated (by police) without reasonable cause”.
While Houston argued he should never should have been brought up on charges, Christofi disagreed, offering that litigating Houston’s state of mind at the time was a worthy endeavor.
“In this case the applicant was the son of the man who committed these offences…The applicant was in a position of authority and had the potential at least to influence how the matter would be dealt with.”
According to court transcripts and multiple depositions, Houston was informed about allegations against his father in 1999, five years before his father’s death. However, he kept the matter under wraps instead of
turning to the authorities, citing the victim’s wish for confidentiality.
During his trial, Crown Prosecutor Gareth Harrison presented a different perspective on Houston’s decision. He argued that Houston’s primary motive for not reporting his father was not to protect the victim but rather to safeguard the church’s reputation.
For More on Houston and HIllsong:
Hillsong Leader Expenses $40,086.05 in ONE MONTH (One Meal Was $6156.64)
Hillsong Church Gives T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer $150K for One Sermon
Internal Hillsong Memo Released Days Before Brian Houston’s Firing Claims He ‘Considered Himself Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries’
Countdown: Top 10 Weirdest Things Hillsong Leaders Expensed to the Church (Number 7 is $1467.28 for a Single Uber Ride)
Report: Hillsong Foundation Raised $21M For Charities, But only Gave Them 1% of the Money
Countdown: Top 10 Luxury Hotels Hillsong Leaders Expensed to the Church (Spoiler: The Cheapest is $8457.42)
What is ‘Hillsong Family’, and Why Do Some Churches Pay $100K a Year to Join It? Ft. Judah Smith
Hillsong’s Compassion Contract Details Revealed: What $1,000,000 Really Gets You
Hillsong Church Salaries, Royalties, Benefits Revealed. $1.9M, $ 1.7M, $1.5M, $876K, $540K
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