Gloriavale's shame: Second senior member convicted of child sex offending, loses suppression bid

Just Standfast (left) leaves Greymouth District Court earlier this year with senior Gloriavale leader Fervent Stedfast. Photo / Kurt Bayer

A Gloriavale teacher who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl seven years ago can finally be named today after a long legal battle.

Just Standfast, 68, touched and forcibly kissed a 9-year-old girl in 2012.

The girl was scared and when she tried to run away, she noticed he had exposed himself, the Greymouth District Court heard when he was sentenced in March this year.

Standfast is the second senior Gloriavale member to be convicted of sexual offending against children this year.

In August, following a similar fight against suppression orders, the Herald reported that another man had pleaded guilty to representative charges that he indecently assaulted and had unlawful sexual connection with a young person under the age of 16.

Standfast admitted a charge of doing an indecent act on a 9-year-old child between August 31 and September 30, 2012.

He was sentenced to six months of community detention and will be subject to extensive supervision, with special conditions, for two years.

Interim name suppression lapsed earlier this year but he challenged it through the courts.

Today, the Court of Appeal released a judgment dismissing his appeal.

Standfast was the victim's classroom teacher at the time.

If he required tasks done, he often asked the girl to carry them out, the district court heard on March 13.

Judge Raoul Neave noted the girl was "something of a favourite" for the man.

The incident took place at the Gloriavale Christian community at Haupiri, near Greymouth. Photo / Kurt Bayer.

On one occasion between August 31 and September 30, 2012, the girl entered a room the teacher was in.

Standfast told the girl that he wanted a cuddle and then hugged her.

The court heard that he placed a hand on her bottom and kissed her on the face and mouth, "some of them hard".

The girl was scared and when she tried to get away noticed that he had exposed himself.

She told her mother what happened and Standfast apologised.

Defence counsel Marcus Zintl said Standfast had stopped teaching girls the day he offended.

He now works on a farm, the court heard.

Zintl described the offending as being "somewhat opportunistic" with an element of spontaneity.

Crown prosecutor Mitchell McClenaghan highlighted the breach of trust involved, with the offender being the girl's teacher at the time.

Victim impact statements showed the offending had a "very significant impact" on all concerned, Judge Neave said.

It had a clear psychological impact on the girl, who had suffered from guilt, he said.

He hoped that with appropriate treatment "and a sensible approach" the effects on the victim would not be long-lasting.

A pre-sentence report was largely favourable, he said, with Standfast taking full responsibility for his actions.

The offending involved a significant abuse of trust, Judge Neave said, but concluded there was no clear evidence of premeditation.

Standfast claimed he had no intention of exposing his genitals but rather it was "an accident involving clothing".

He was given credit, and a reduction in sentence, for an early guilty plea, previous "impeccable character", no history of offending, being assessed a low risk of reoffending, and the offending being deemed at the lower end of the scale of the charge.

He has not been placed on the Child Sex Offender Register.