Redeemed Standfast, 19, who left the Gloriavale Christian Community a year ago, was supported in court by his father and Gloriavale’s next Overseeing Shepherd, Stephen Standfast.
He pleaded guilty to charges of wilful damage of the church, plus other charges of unlawfully being in an enclosed yard, careless driving, disorderly behaviour and shoplifting.
Counsel George Linder said things had gone "downhill" for Standfast since he left the Lake Haupiri Christian community.
"He has some substance abuse problems. He left Gloriavale a year ago and things have gone downhill for him since then."
Mr Linder said footage of the church offending showed Standfast was clearly under the influence at the time.
The deconsecrated former Anglican church — now painted pink and renamed Gloria — is owned by poet and artist Sam Duckor-Jones, who bought it in 2020 with the intention of creating a public artwork and "a temple of non-denominational queer celebration".
According to the police summary of facts, Standfast went to the doors of the building about midnight on November 18 and knocked multiple times. When no-one answered he began violently pulling and shaking at the doors until one came off its hinges.
Standfast sat down at the piano and played for a while before leaving.
He told police he could not remember or give a reason for his actions.
A few days later, Standfast crashed his car just off the roadside of SH7 at Reefton, moments after police had received a complaint about his driving.
He again told police he had no idea what happened, or what speed he was doing.
On December 1, Standfast walked out of Unichem Olsens Pharmacy in Greymouth with a pair of sunglasses on his head.
Three separate charges of wilful damage, disorderly behaviour and unlawfully being in an enclosed yard followed an earlier incident in Shakespeare St on November 8, when he used a piece of wood to bang on the window of a building.
When a neighbour called out and asked Standfast what he was doing he replied they would not break. Further down the street he began banging on a door, asking out loudly who was inside.
He then went to the back of the property and repeatedly kicked a vehicle, leaving a large dent in the driver’s door, before smashing a wing mirror off the car. He was arrested shortly after on the property.
Judge Michelle Duggan said one of Standfast’s victims was left "incredibly traumatised". She remanded him on continued bail for sentencing in April. — Greymouth Star
