CHARGED

NOTE: I cannot comment on any proceedings, as I am not privy to them. I can only report on what is in the public domain. I will update this page as often as possible, and regardless of the outcome,. and as accurately as is available.

NOTE 2: William Kamm, and his co-accused deserve to be presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. These are only charges, NOT convictions.

Update: 7th February 2003

From the Illawarra Mercury Little Pebble ally free of indecent assault charge

Byline: By LISA CARTY

JAMES Duffy walked from Nowra Local Court yesterday with his reputation intact after a magistrate dismissed charges of aggravated indecent assault.

The 73-year-old ally of self-declared future pope William ``Little Pebble'' Kamm said he had always been confident but was glad the court case was over.

Mr Duffy, who lives at Little Pebble's Order of St Charbel commune at Cambewarra, said the case had been traumatic for everyone, including his accuser.

Magistrate Doug Dick heard evidence from a woman, who cannot be identified, that Mr Duffy had kissed her passionately on two occasions when she was 13.

The woman, whose family became involved with Little Pebble when she was very young, claimed Mr Duffy, to whom she felt very close, had told her he loved her and urged her not to tell her mother about the kiss.

``It's all very hazy - I was only a kid,'' she told the court before detailing the alleged offences.

At the time of the second kiss, Duffy told her he loved her more than a father loved a daughter, and rubbed her bottom, the woman alleged.

The woman said she had tried to suppress memories of her time at the commune, saying: ``A lot of things happen in the community and you just learn to accept them.''

Mr Duffy's barrister Roger Spain cross-examined the woman extensively on her memory of times and places.

He suggested she had deliberately left the time frame very wide so that she did not nominate a time when Mr Duffy was overseas.

Mr Duffy, in evidence, repeatedly denied the allegations and said he had no memory of ever being alone with the girl.

Paul Stanley, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told Mr Dick that at the time of the alleged offences the alleged victim thought it was not unusual for married men associated with the commune to ``have mystical wives and princesses''.

She had shown considerable courage in coming forward and subjecting herself to a rigorous cross-examination, Mr Stanley said.

She was a credible witness and the type of offences with which Mr Duffy had been charged were ``by their very nature covert and opportunistic''.

``They were fleeting incidents,'' Mr Stanley said.

Mr Dick said the woman's evidence suffered from inconsistencies and the law required the court to be mindful of the fact that the defendant was disadvantaged by the passage of time.

Years had passed since the alleged offence, meaning Mr Duffy had no way to bring forward alibi witnesses.

Mr Dick said it was not a case of disbelieving the woman or believing Mr Duffy - the fact was that it was one person's word against another.

That was not enough to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt.

As reported in the Illawarra Mercury of August 9th 2002, by Antony Field, William Kamm and a 73 year old man living at the Cambewarra compound were arrested August 8th, and charged. The charges are:

William Kamm Charged with four counts of aggravted sexual assault, one count of aggravated indecent assault, and one count of an aggravated act of indeceny

The 73 year old, James Duffy, is charged with two counts of aggravated indecent assault.

The girls involved were under 16 years of age when the alleged assaults took place.

Under advice from his lawyers and barrister, William is keeping silent at the moment.

Go here for the original article.

Go here for the Sydney Morning Herald report.