Prestigious golf club sparks outrage after it was revealed one of its members is a convicted rapist
- Rapist ‘voluntarily stepped away’ from exclusive golf club
- Indooroopilly Golf Club costs $10,000 to join
A convicted rapist has ‘voluntarily stepped away’ from a prestigious golf club after uproar from members.
Cameron David Horne, 64, was taken out of the draw for this weekend’s quarterfinals of a golf tournament at Indooroopilly Golf Club, in Brisbane, on Friday.
The exclusive golf club costs $10,000 to join and has an annual fee of $4,207.
His removal came after the club’s board met on Tuesday to discuss his membership after details of his rape conviction were made public.
A convicted rapist has ‘voluntarily stepped away’ from Indooroopilly Golf Club (pictured) – which costs $10,000 to join – after uproar from members over his criminal history
Horne was convicted of four counts of rape and one of sexual assault in December 2021 after raping a woman on a luxury yacht on October 17, 2018.
He was sentenced to three years’ jail, suspended for three years after he served one year behind bars.
Horne appealed the conviction, saying he was not criminally liable because he had an allergic reaction to mud crab, was drunk and had mixed antibiotics and alcohol.
In a case taken to the High Court, his lawyers argued the rape conviction should be overturned as he suffered from ‘altered consciousness amounting to delirium’.
The High Court rejected his appeal in December 2022, but this did not become public until March 9.
Horne reportedly applied to join Indooroopilly Golf Club in 2018 and was accepted in 2020.
A club member told the Courier Mail that both male and female members were ‘up in arms’ that Horne was allowed to keep playing after his conviction became known.
‘If he won the club championship we would have had a convicted rapist on the honour board,’ they said.
Another member said Indooroopilly has a ‘rigorous’ club dress code but seemingly no ‘transparency’ on criminal convictions.
‘We’ve played on the same course as (him) and had no idea about his rape conviction,’ they said.
Club president Mike Connell said the board was ‘not aware of any proceedings in relation to Mr Horne at the time of ratifying his membership’.
‘The board is taking legal advice and is considering the issue and any future action in accordance with its constitution,’ he said.
In December 2021, Cameron David Horne was convicted in the District Court in Brisbane (pictured) of four counts of rape and one of sexual assault at Manly marina on October 17, 2018
‘Mr Horne has voluntarily stepped away from club activities while the board resolves its position.’
To become a member of Indooroopilly Golf Club, an applicant must either be nominated in writing by two members over 18 who know them personally, or in writing by the chief executive officer or a board member.
Membership applications also require a ‘proposer’ and ‘seconder’ to say how they know the applicant.
They must also agree that they ‘can vouch for the good character of this applicant’.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Indooroopilly Golf Club seeking further comment.
