Pebble plan to spawn a'new race'

Ilawarra Mercury/June 15, 2005
By Rebecca Senescall

A NOWRA religious cult leader, accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a young female follower, had believed the Virgin Mary chose him to spawn a new race that would survive the end of the world, a jury has heard.

The girl was just two months past her 15th birthday when she accepted William "Little Pebble" Kamm's invitation to become one of his 12 "mystical wives". She believed she would become pregnant "spiritually" - perhaps through a hug.

And her parents rejoiced and encouraged the marriage, not thinking it involved any sex.

Kamm is accused of four counts of aggravated indecent assault and one of aggravated sexual intercourse with the girl, while she was living in Kamm's Order of St Charbel community in Cambewarra in 1993.

The Crown alleges that Kamm kissed, fondled and groped the girl in his office and in her bedroom - and that once, sitting in his car, Kamm penetrated the girl's vagina with his finger.

At the start of his Sydney District Court trial yesterday, Kamm pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Gregory Stanton, told the jury that the girl - who waited nine years before coming forward to police - made the allegations for financial gain.

He told the jury they would hear evidence of a $2500 exclusive interview deal with Channel Seven's Today Tonight program, made at the time the girl approached police.

In his opening statement yesterday, Crown Prosecutor Richard Herps told the jury that Kamm believed he received messages directly from Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, on the 13th day of each month.

His revelations told of the coming of a new era in world history, and cataclysmic events which only Kamm's community would survive.

The girl's family, who had followed Kamm since the 1980s, sold their house at Katoomba and moved to Kamm's community in 1991 - about a year before Kamm, calling himself the "new Abraham", selected 12 female followers to be his "queens" and another 72 as his "princesses".

The trial continues.