By Loretta Bryce
Fraser Coast Chronicle
September 17, 2009
http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2009/09/17/principal-faces-sex-charges-pastor-tells-court-he-/
ONE OF Hervey Bay's most respected community and church leaders is facing child sex charges.
Raymond Ron Krueger, who has won nationwide acclaim for his work with at-risk teenagers as principal of Glendyne Education and Training Centre, has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
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Photo by StanRohrer |
Krueger appeared in the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court yesterday charged with two counts of indecent dealing of a child under 16 and one charge of sexual assault.
The offences were alleged to have happened between 1997 and 2001 when Krueger was involved with the Hervey Bay Baptist Church youth group.
The alleged victim was aged between 13 and 17 at the time of the alleged offences and was a member of the youth group.
She gave evidence during a two-hour closed court hearing yesterday, before eight other witnesses took the stand.
Krueger was alleged to have touched the teenager's breasts on at least three occasions - once during a Bible study session and another time during a youth group camp.
The allegations came to light in 2008 when the alleged victim told several church members.
Krueger was charged early this year.
The court was told Krueger and the young woman had both been spoken to by church elders about their unusual relationship, which involved text messages, emails and an on-again, off-again friendship.
Church members described a blurring of boundaries between the two and said it seemed they were too emotionally involved with each other.
"It wasn't a normal relationship like that of a mentor and a youth," one church member said.
Senior Pastor Keith Stevenson said that in February this year Krueger confessed to touching the girl inappropriately on four occasions.
"He said he knew he had done wrong ... and he was sorry for the things that had happened," Pastor Stevenson said.
"I was torn between being a friend and wanting to do what was right.
"I was aware of the stress he was under but I felt the only way to deal with it was to bring it into the open and be accountable for it."
Another church member said Krueger spoke to her in January this year about his desire to re-enter ministry at the church.
"He told me he'd done things that could affect his ministry," she said. "He said there were things in his past he wasn't proud of and he knew he'd done wrong.
"I thought it may have been something physical or doing something inappropriate with a young person but nothing specific was said."
Krueger did not enter a plea to any of the charges.
He was committed to stand trial in the Hervey Bay District Court and was released on bail until his court date.
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