Indecent charges for man

AN ELDERLY Tablelands man and former Jehovah’s Witness member will appear in court this month amid allegations he molested three young girls from the church more than 25 years ago.

Detectives from the Tablelands Child Protection and Investigation Unit charged the 74-year-old, who cannot be identified to protect the alleged victims, on Thursday after an investigation which spanned almost a year.

It is alleged the man indecently dealt with the girls in the Mareeba area between 1982 and 1991.

He has been charged with two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 and two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 14.

The Cairns Post understands they were aged as young as nine at the time.

Tablelands police detective Sergeant Kearin Corcoran said the information was provided after one of the alleged victims gave evidence during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

He said police had received a report previously but had been unable to act due to a lack of evidence.

“We’ve been able to proceed with fresh information in the old matter and identify two new victims,” he said.

“It was a matter that had previously been reported.”

It is alleged the three girls were also members of the congregation when the incidents took place.

The Cairns Post understands the church became aware of complaints regarding the man and he was disfellowed in 1993.

The man is scheduled to appear in the Mareeba Magistrates Court on February 27.