Woman sues over lesbian affair

A MUSIC teacher and Baptist preacher who has admitted having a lesbian relationship with a teenage student 20 years ago is being sued by the woman for assault and negligence.

Louise Audet, 39, told the District Court yesterday she was 15 when the three-year sexual relationship began in mid-1982 with Cheryl Groth at Picton High School.

Ms Groth, who is nine years older, befriended the girl as a "special daughter" and told her to call her Mum after she confided in her that she had been sexually abused by her grandfather and siblings and beaten by her father, Mrs Audet told the court.

Mrs Audet said she found comfort in Ms Groth, who, as youth group leader, introduced her to the Baptist Church.

She said Ms Groth encouraged her to skip school and spend the day in bed with her, where she fondled her breasts and genitals and read from the Bible. "She used to tell me how special I was," she said. "She used to tell me how much Jesus loved me."

Mrs Audet followed Ms Groth to Sydney in early 1983, and the sexual relationship continued while she attended Mackellar Girls High and lived in refuges.

Ms Groth was music and youth group leader at Carlton-Kogarah Baptist Church, where she also preached against "sexual immorality", Mrs Audet said.

Mrs Audet said she attempted suicide at 18. She has since changed her name and lives in Barraba, north of Tamworth.

She is unable to sue the Baptist Union of NSW because it is not legally responsible for parishes or individuals.

After the church conducted an inquiry in 2000, Ms Groth allegedly wrote a letter of apology.

Mrs Audet's barrister, Colin Heazlewood, told the court the letter said: "I very deeply regret the ways in which I have wronged you in the past. I have, and am, experiencing deep sorrow because I abused you. I was responsible for initiating and continuing the pattern of sin with you."

The defence barrister, Paul Regattieri, said Ms Groth denies any negligence or breach of duty of care. He said "any conduct from a sexual nature" did not occur until Mrs Audet was 16.

Don't sound like any Baptist I know! /// They're no more "Baptist" than Anton LaVey.

Perhaps you should rethink your positions:

Lonnie Latham, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church arrested on a lewdness charge

Prominent Baptist minister arrested in gay prostitution sting

A member of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee has been arrested in Oklahoma City on charges of propositioning a male undercover police officer.

The Reverend Lonnie Latham has spoken out against homosexuality in the past.

As he left jail yesterday, he said he was set up and was in the area pastoring to police.

Latham has supported a convention directive urging members to befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their lifestyle.

The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination and is based in Nashville. (Source: WBIR.com)

Later, Latham admitted he lied about the police set-up. He purposely went out of his way (followed the cop's car many city blocks) to engage the undercover agent in homosexual sex in a part of OK City that was known for gay prostitution. It was revealed during the subsequent investigation that Latham regularly "preached" to the gay community in this manner over the years.

At first, the local media in Tulsa sought to downplay, even cover-up the news because Latham was such a big star in the conservative religious movement. However, independent news sources and the blogosphere continued investigating and reporting the Latham scandal. Further, Latham's insistance that the police framed him as part of a homosexual conspiracy angered the very people that could have kept the news to a minimum. Latham was convicted as charged. He has since been removed from his positions of authority.

As an aside, Latham--like the woman in this article--intimately worked with thousands of teens over the years.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.