Pentecostal predator had ‘lifetime free of punishment’ for Sydney child abuse

An 88-year-old paedophile who volunteered at former prime minister Scott Morrison’s church has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually abusing a child he met through the parish.

Richard Jones pleaded guilty to three counts of sexually abusing a child in the ’80s while he was volunteering at Christian Growth Centre, now known as Horizon Church, in Sydney’s south.

Morrison regularly attends the pentecostal church in Sutherland, which covered up the abuse at the time.

The victim, aged 10 and 11 at the time of offending, and her family grew close with Jones and his family. They were devout members of the church, with the children attending after-school events. The girl was also in the choir, church band and kids’ clubs.

She became close friends with Jones’ daughter and regularly spent Friday nights at their home on sleepovers.

During the night, Jones, who was aged between 45 and 46 at the time, would creep into the room, wake the girl and take her downstairs to the living room, where he sexually abused her. He was charged over two incidents in 1985; however, the court heard the abuse took place on more occasions.

He told the victim that he “loved” her and “missed” her during one incident of sexual abuse, which Judge David Scully said was “emotional manipulation”.

The young girl initially believed she was in a relationship with Jones but realised she was being abused after taking a sexual education class in school.

When Jones and his family moved interstate to Western Australia in 1985 he wrote a letter to the child, telling her they were moving “to ensure you never have to be reminded of me again” and to “put distance between the old me that committed the crimes against you”.

When Jones and his family returned to NSW in 1990 they attended a dinner at the victim’s family home. There, Jones thanked the girl for her support.

“Thank you. You helped me during a very difficult time,” he said.

The girl understood that to mean he was thanking her for the abuse, which triggered “intense” feelings. She told her mother about the abuse she had endured.

A week later, Jones, the victim and her mother met with their pastor, John Wilkinson, at his home, where Jones admitted the abuse. “It’s true, it happened,” he said.

Jones suggested he get support and undertook 12 months of counselling. Wilkinson didn’t report the abuse to the police, and the church covered up the offending.

Jones, the victim and their families continued attending the Sutherland church together for years.

In 2024, when the victim turned 50, she reported the abuse to Horizon’s pastor, who then contacted police. Jones was arrested in Landsdale in WA, charged in November that year and pleaded guilty to three of the 10 counts of abuse.

In her victim impact statement the woman wrote that the abuse had harmful lifelong effects, impacting her relationship with her husband and her mental health, her feelings of guilt and her worries about what might happen to her own children.

“[She was] craving affection and not being able to engage in the sort of normal affection, including with her husband,” Scully said.

In sentencing, Scully took into account Jones’ advanced age, ill health – he suffers from memory and hearing loss, heart conditions and depression – along with the recent death of his wife, which delayed sentencing.

“The offending took place over 40 years ago. When confronted with allegations, he immediately accepted responsibility. His age and health mean he is very unlikely to reoffend, and he has excellent prospects of rehabilitation,” he said.

He rejected Jones’ request to be placed on a community corrections order, noting it was inappropriate “in circumstances where he has led a lifetime free of criminal punishment”.

Using a walker and accompanied by his daughter, Jones emptied his pockets of possessions ahead of the sentencing. He sat with his eyes closed as Scully read the details of his offending.

The victim-survivor was present in court with several supporters. She cannot be named for legal reasons.

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