NSW cult leader likely to reoffend: court

AAP, Australia/October 8, 2015

Cult leader and convicted sex offender William Kamm has a history of sexual deviance that makes him highly likely to reoffend if not supervised, a Sydney court has heard.

The self-professed religious leader was released on parole in November, nine years after being convicted of having sex with two teenage girls because, he claimed, God and the Virgin Mary told him they were to help him repopulate the earth.

Kamm's parole is set to expire on Tuesday, freeing him from strict conditions that have been in place for the last 11 months.

But the NSW government says he is a high-risk offender and has applied to the Supreme Court for an interim supervision order which would impose ongoing restrictions.

The cult leader, who founded the Order of Saint Charbel near Nowra and also goes by the name Little Pebble, has described himself as a "handsome, sexy, attractive man".

Ian Freckelton, QC, for the government said reports show Kamm has a narcissistic personality disorder and is able to exert influence over vulnerable devotees.

In documents read to the court he stated: "Women had great respect for me. Women stood in awe of me. Women were always attracted to me, like a magnet".

The court heard Kamm has continued to protest his innocence and maintained religious beliefs which once included that he take 12 young women as Queens and 72 princesses to bear his children.

Mr Freckelton said there was every reason to believe Kamm still exerted "significant power" over the Order, which he claims has more than 500,000 supporters in 160 countries.

Reports presented to the court expressed concern that Kamm's role as a "see-er", his hyper-sexual behaviour, history of sexual deviance and belief system made him a high likelihood of sexual reoffending if he wasn't supervised beyond parole.

Justice Robert Hulme said he had reservations about a number of the conditions, of which there are more than 40.

Kamm's lawyer, David Carroll, said the conditions were "designed to limit his freedom of movement unnecessarily" and the only necessary condition was that he not have contact with anyone under 18.

He said Kamm had been compliant in not reoffending since 1995, though he noted almost half that time was spent in prison.

Justice Hulme has reserved his judgment until Tuesday.

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