Positions: Bishopric counselor, Branch president, Ward clerk, - During crime: Unknown position,
- Mission:
unknown - Alleged:
Multiple victims, Unknown number of victims,
Criminal case(s): Convicted, Jail, Ongoing, Plea deal, Pleaded guilty, - Alleged church actions: Church officials accused of failure to warn ward members, Church position after conviction, Excommunicated, Rebaptized, Released from church position, Ward official accused of failure to report,
- AKA Bill Harding
updated Jul 11, 2026 - request update | add info
Crime: 
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Update August 2025:
Bill Harding has pleaded not guilty. If you have a copy of any recent articles, please send them to us. If you knew Harding, please contact us.
UPDATE May 2025:
Bill Harding has been extradited to Tasmania to face new criminal charges of child sexual abuse that he allegedly perpetrated between 1963 and 1982. During the time of the alleged abuse, Harding was a Mormon branch president as well as a Police Officer.
(Correction May 23, 2025: Harding was a branch president, not a bishop, in Tasmania. We apologize for the reporting error.)
Harding is facing three counts of persistent sexual abuse of a child and three counts of indecent assault multiple victims in this case were members of Harding’s LDS ward, according to police.
Floodlit communicated with two people familiar with the case, who provided information showing that Harding was convicted child sexual abuse in Brisbane, Australia in 2024. He was also charged with child sexual abuse in a separate case in Queensland. In the first case, he was sentenced to four years jail and after nine months the sentence was suspended.
In all, Floodlit has learned that Harding allegedly abused up to 40 children over a nearly 50 year span, from 1963-2010.
Mormon officials and church leaders in Australia and in Salt Lake City, Utah allegedly knew about Harding’s abuse but failed to report to police, allowing more children to be victimized.
A source familiar with Harding’s three criminal cases told Floodlit that Harding was excommunicated from the Mormon church after being a branch president in Tasmania and after a victim came forward accusing him of child sexual assault.
We are still piecing together a timeline, but we believe this occurred before Harding moved to Queensland, Australia and began attending LDS church meetings there.
According to someone familiar with Harding, he was in the Montagu Bay ward. They reported Harding was rebaptized quite a few years before he moved to Queensland. Once Harding moved to Queensland he was called to be a bishopric councilor for several years. They also reported “The families of many of the victims in the 70’s were discouraged from going to the police to protect the good name of the church.”
If you knew Harding or have any information about his history in the Mormon church or this case or the allegations against him, please contact us. We believe he may have more victims.
Have any info on this case? Contact FLOODLIT.
Sources
- Former police officer extradited from Queensland to face historical sexual abuse charges in Hobart,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- Ex-cop faces Hobart court over historic abuse charges,
- William John Harding pleads not guilty to church abuse charges ,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty,
- ‘Groomed, lied to and betrayed’: Devastating impact revealed as Church child predator jailed,
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1. Former police officer extradited from Queensland to face historical sexual abuse charges in Hobart
A former police officer has been extradited from Queensland to Tasmania for alleged historical sexual abuse offences.
Sexual assault support lines:1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
Victims of Crime Helpline: 1800 819 817
Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578The man will appear in Hobart Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of three counts of persistent sexual abuse of a child and three counts of indecent assault.
Tasmania Police alleged the abuse occurred in Tasmania between 1963 and 1982 and involved multiple victim-survivors connected to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church.
It is understood the man was investigated through Taskforce Artemis, a specialist police team looking into child abuse allegations, set up after the Tasmanian Commission of Inquiry, which handed down its final report in 2023
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2. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*Not whole article, need subscription to read.
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3. Ex-cop faces Hobart court over historic abuse charges
A former Tasmanian Police officer and member of a Mormon church has faced court over historic abuse charges relating to multiple young members of the church. What the court heard.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
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4. William John Harding pleads not guilty to church abuse charges
13 August 2025
William John Harding pleads not guilty to church abuse charges
A former Tasmania police officer and Mormon church leader accused of abusing young members of Tasmanian congregations has pleaded not guilty to a total of 10 historical charges, with most of these matters to be heard in Tasmania Supreme Court later in the year.
William John Harding, 84, has been charged with three counts of indecent assault, three counts of assault with indecent intent, one count of rape and three counts of persistent sexual abuse of a child or young person.
All charges relate to Mr Harding’s time in the Tasmanian Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he was alleged to have held leadership positions.
Police will allege that multiple victim-survivors connected to the church are involved with the charges.
On May 18, Tasmania Police extradited Mr Harding from Queensland to Tasmania in relation to the charges following an investigation by Taskforce Artemis.
The Taskforce is a specialist police team investigating child abuse allegations from the Commission of Inquiry.
Court documents reveal Mr Harding is alleged to have sexually touched girls over their clothes, touched their genitalia, as well as digitally raped a young girl.
The charges date back from 1963 to 1982.
Mr Harding’s lawyer Anne Cleal told Magistrate Robert Webster on Wednesday that he would enter pleas of not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutor Andrew Lockley then moved to commit all charges to the Supreme Court, excluding the three counts of assault with indecent intent.
“The circumstances surrounding the charges are largely intertwined and can be dealt with in their entirety in the Supreme Court,” Mr Lockley said.
“However, the other charges can’t go down there.
“I ask that they be adjourned sine die.”
Ms Cleal did not oppose this request.
Magistrate Webster committed the matters to Supreme Court, where Mr Harding will appear on Tuesday, October 14.
genevieve.holding@news.com.a -
5. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
-
6. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
-
7. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
-
8. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
-
9. Ex-Mormon leader pleads not guilty
An 84-year-old ex-police officer faces the Supreme Court over allegations he sexually abused multiple young members of Tasmanian Mormon congregations across two decades.
*This is not the whole article, need subscription to read.
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10. ‘Groomed, lied to and betrayed’: Devastating impact revealed as Church child predator jailed
‘Groomed, lied to and betrayed’: Devastating impact revealed as Church child predator jailed
A man who repeatedly indecently touched a young girl he knew through his church has been jailed, with the victim confronting him in court as she described the impact had on her life.
Documents
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Criminal case documents
Floodlit does not have a copy of a related probable cause affidavit. Please check back soon or contact us to request that we look for one.Civil case documents
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Other Mormon sex abuse cases
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- Douglas Stoddard (1949 – ) was an LDS bishop in Hurst, Texas; convicted in 1992 of a felony child sexual abuse charge of indecency with a child by contact; sentenced to 8 years of probation; a lifetime registered sex offender in Texas; named publicly in August 2023 by a victim who said Stoddard molested him and three other boys in his Mormon ward while serving as bishop
- View report »
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- Michael Antrobus (1947 – 2023) was a former Mormon branch president (similar to a bishop) and bishop in Connersville, Indiana for 10 years (approximately 1974-84); convicted of child sexual abuse charges (9 counts, 6 victims) in Sacramento County, California in 2021-2022; sentenced to 8 years in San Quentin State Prison; died by suicide in prison in September 2023; allegedly had at least a dozen victims
- View report »
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- Todd Edwards (1964 – ) was a Mormon bishop in Menifee, Riverside County, California; in 2013, sentenced to three years in prison for sexual abuse of one teenage girl in 2006 and another in 2012; was bishop at the time of the 2012 abuse; in 2024, two victims sued the LDS church in separate lawsuits; one said a stake president and LDS law firm Kirton McConkie hindered police
- View report »
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