According to Australian prosecutors, Brian Houston attempted to cover up his father’s sexual abuse of a child in the 1970s.

Despite knowing about the abuse decades later, the church founder did not report it because the adult victim did not want the police involved.

Nine boys are believed to have been abused by Frank Houston, who died in 2004.

While on a tour in Sydney, Brett Sengstock’s family hosted the New Zealand preacher at their home when he was seven years old.

When Frank Houston moved to Australia, he began abusing him sexually for the first time.

According to prosecutors, Brian Houston paid “hush money” some years later to Mr Sengstock, and used his powerful influence to hide abuse allegations.

His “only focus” in responding to the claim was to protect the Church, so not reporting them was a convenient excuse because the victim didn’t want police involved.

Magistrate Gareth Christofi ruled on Thursday that Mr Houston had a “reasonable excuse” under the law.

“I don’t see why a convenient excuse can’t also be a reasonable one,” he said.

According to Mr Houston, the extent of his father’s crimes will likely never be known and he called him a “serial paedophile” outside court on Thursday.

“But I’m not my father. I didn’t commit this crime,” the 69-year-old said.

A global megachurch founded 40 years ago by Brian Houston in Sydney, Hillsong is known for its brand of modern evangelism.

As a result, Mr Houston became one of the world’s most famous preachers. Despite allegations of inappropriate behavior toward two women, he remained the Church’s global senior pastor until 2022.

The verdict is the culmination of over a decade of speculation about a “cover-up” by the Church, culminating in a court battle that has unearthed at-times extraordinary evidence. Australian prosecutors had argued Brian Houston tried to cover up his father’s sexual abuse of a child in the 1970s.

Despite knowing about the abuse decades later, the church founder did not report it because the adult victim did not want the police involved.

Nine boys are believed to have been abused by Frank Houston, who died in 2004.

While on a tour in Sydney, Brett Sengstock’s family hosted the New Zealand preacher at their home when he was seven years old.

When Frank Houston moved to Australia, he began abusing him sexually for the first time.

According to prosecutors, Brian Houston paid “hush money” some years later to Mr Sengstock, and used his powerful influence to hide abuse allegations.

His “only focus” in responding to the claim was to protect the Church, so not reporting them was a convenient excuse because the victim didn’t want police involved.

Magistrate Gareth Christofi ruled on Thursday that Mr Houston had a “reasonable excuse” under the law.

“I don’t see why a convenient excuse can’t also be a reasonable one,” he said.

According to Mr Houston, the extent of his father’s crimes will likely never be known and he called him a “serial paedophile” outside court on Thursday.

“But I’m not my father. I didn’t commit this crime,” the 69-year-old said.

A global megachurch founded 40 years ago by Brian Houston in Sydney, Hillsong is known for its brand of modern evangelism.

As a result, Mr Houston became one of the world’s most famous preachers. Despite allegations of inappropriate behavior toward two women, he remained the Church’s global senior pastor until 2022.

During a court battle that unearthed often extraordinary evidence, years of speculation about the Church’s “cover-up” culminated in this verdict.