AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
The career of William "Little Pebble" Kamm, a religious leader who claimed direct communication with the Virgin Mary, veered off course yesterday when he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.
The diminutive man who emerged 22 years ago as a "seer" in a worldwide Mary-worship cult and established a community of followers at Cambewarra on the South Coast was convicted of the offences dating from 1993.
In the Downing Centre yesterday, Kamm, 55, sat impassively as the jury delivered its verdict after deliberating for nearly three days - guilty on four counts of aggravated indecent assault and aggravated sexual assault.
The trial judge, John Williams, accepted submissions by Kamm's counsel, Greg Stanton, that Kamm should be allowed continuing bail because he would not be sentenced until September 12.