Church handed in Capill

Graham Capill. Picture / Simon Baker

Religious leader and convicted child abuser Graham Capill was turned in to the police by members of his own church.

The head of St John's Anglican church in Christchurch, where the Capill family attended sermons for more than a decade, has revealed that he went to police after a parishioner told him of the young girl's allegations.

Vicar Wally Behan said he did not "want to believe it" but his own initial investigations turned up enough information to convince him the matter should be dealt with by the authorities.

"I never thought it was rubbish. I believed it was true."

His decision led to a police investigation and subsequent representative charge of indecent assault of an 8-year-old girl being laid against the former Christian Heritage Party leader and father of 10, who in the Christchurch District Court on Friday tearfully confessed.

Forty-six-year-old Capill, who is also a police prosecutor and church reverend, admitted to fondling the genitals of a young girl on several occasions over 2001 and 2002 while she was in bed in her pyjamas.

It is an ironic twist in the story of the self-styled moral guardian whose dedication to his religious beliefs formed the basis of his life.

He and wife Judith left St John's parish last July due to what Behan believed was a difference in theological outlook, and it is understood they have not attended a regular church since then.

"It wasn't a massive issue and it wasn't like we parted on difficult terms," said Behan.

The elder children still attend St John's, and Behan's main concern was to help his 300-odd strong parish through what would be a "difficult time". 

"I'll need to help them through this in a pastorly way. This has come out of the blue for many and I'm going to have to deal with them." Behan found the whole affair "unbelievable" and, like many others, was shocked, having known the Capill family for years.

It is understood Mrs Capill is standing by her husband in the wake of criticism from Capill's former political colleagues and targets of his past moral campaigns. She would not comment yesterday.

Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, the former head of Women's Refuge who served as Capill's deputy leading up to the 2002 election, said realising she had worked with him while he was committing the abuses made her feel "quite sick".

"If you're going to take the moral high ground then for goodness' sake make sure there's nothing in your own behaviour that could let you down," she said.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY