Destiny 'sad' over sex case

Destiny Church management says the case of a pastor's son alleged to have indecently assaulted a teenage girl who was in foster care with a church family is "very sad and deeply regrettable".

Joshua Edmonds, 29, of New Plymouth, faces one count of indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl. He is due to appear in the New Plymouth District Court in May.

His mother, Destiny pastor Robyn Edmonds, said he would plead not guilty, the Herald on Sunday reported.

Mrs Edmonds also runs the Taranaki branch of the Open Home Foundation, which arranged the girl's foster home placement, although she denied the child was in the foundation's care at the time of the alleged incident.

However, the head of the Child, Youth and Family service, Ray Smith, disputed Mrs Edmonds' version of events and said the 13-year-old was in foundation care - and had been living in a Destiny Church foster home.

The police said the alleged incident did not happen at the foundation house at which the 13-year-old was being fostered.

CYF staff had moved the 13-year-old into "safe care" when they heard of the allegation.