'Bloody coward': Gloriavale man who had sexual offending charges dropped finally named

Thursday, 14 September 2023

The son of Gloriavale’s overseeing shepherd can now be named as the man accused but never convicted of sexual offending against a young girl.

Salem Temple, 40, faced two charges of indecently assaulting a girl aged between 12 and 16, one of indecent assault when she was 16, two charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, one of assault with intent to commit sexual violation and one of attempted sexual violation.

He was first charged in 2017, but after two trials - one aborted and the other ending with a hung jury - the charges were all dismissed by Judge Raoul Neave in 2021 after he reserved his decision for 18 months.

Temple’s bid to keep his name suppressed ended in the High Court on Thursday.

The complainant also applied to the court to have lift her name suppression lifted, but that has not been dealt with yet.

She said Temple had sought to keep his name secret because he was a ”bloody coward”.

“He never in his life had to own up to anything because one, he’s the leader’s son; two, he was a leader himself of the young people.

“It’s taken so many years … and he’s still trying to keep his name out [of the public]. It makes me angry.”

At the time of the alleged offending, Temple was the leader of the youth group that all young people in the community were required to attend on Saturday nights.

The woman told police that when she was 12, Temple encouraged her to stay behind after group meetings and began hugging, kissing and touching her all over her body.

She said she did not understand why the charges were dropped.

“I was really disappointed but I prepared for the worst because it’s my word against his. Nobody in that place is ever gonna come forward and stand against him because they’re all cowards as well.”

Despite the outcome, she did not regret coming forward.

“It is worth speaking up because I know, even though it actually got nowhere with the courts, that his name is out there. People know about it whether they want to believe it or not, they still know about it and he’s been shamed in the community.”

She said she would have gone through a third trial, but the justice system let her down.

Temple had sought permanent suppression of his name and any identifying particulars, including reference to the Gloriavale Christian Community, on the basis that publication would cause extreme hardship to him, his wife and children, and the community. A decision by Justice Peter Churchman found this threshold was not met. The Crown had opposed the application.

In the second trial, the Crown alleged Temple used his position of authority to groom and emotionally manipulate the complainant until she gave in to some sexual contact when she was 17. The alleged offences dated from 2005 to 2013.

Temple’s defence argued the complainant was not honest and had exaggerated what happened. Temple told the court the allegations were untrue and he began a consensual extra-marital affair with the complainant when she was 17.

In the High Court decision, Justice Churchman noted that after the second trial Judge Neave had dismissed five of the charges and the remaining three were later also dismissed after the Crown offered no evidence.

The High Court decision was the result of an appeal of an earlier District Court one that also ruled against Temple’s permanent suppression bid. In that decision from May, Judge Paul Kellar found Temple’s case was known within the Gloriavale Christian Community and he and his family had already suffered ridicule and abuse within the community. The fact the case was now over “ought to temper any ridicule that might be reignited”, Judge Kellar said.

Temple’s lawyer had argued in the High Court that abuse, ostracisation and bullying within the community towards his wife and 12 children would be reignited if suppression was lifted and there would be more intense interest in Temple as the son of the overseeing shepherd, Howard Temple, who is himself facing charges for sexual offending.

The lawyer presented two affidavits - one from Gloriavale Christian Community member Melody Hope and the other from Peter Jamieson*, which said reporting and social media commentary on Gloriavale was “almost always prejudicial, sensationalised and fanatical”.

Justice Churchman said the affidavits added nothing.

“Although the appellant has until now enjoyed name suppression, this was on the basis of ensuring his rights to a fair trial, not for reasons of extreme hardship. At no stage has the court considered he would be subject to extreme hardship if publication were to occur.”

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that Peter Jameson is the chief executive of Gloriavale's business interests. This is incorrect. Jameson is an employee of a Blenheim-based law firm and is not affiliated with Gloriavale. We apologise to chief executive Phil Jamieson for the error. (Amended 11.15am, September 15, 2023)