A third accuser has come forward to say he was solicited for sexual activity by former judge Paul Pressler, the architect of the 'conservative resurgence' in the Southern Baptist Convention that saw it take a decisive tilt to the right during the 1980s.

Pressler, 88, is the subject of allegations by Gareld Duane Rollins, who has said Pressler abused him sexually from the late 1970s, when Rollins was 14, to 2004. Another affidavit has been lodged by Toby Twining. Now 59, Twining says that the night before he was to register for his college sophomore year Pressler touched him inappropriately when they were alone in a sauna. Pressler has denied all the allegations.

According to Baptist News Global, now Brook Schott, 27, an attorney and the son of a pastor, says Pressler solicited him for sexual activity in December 2016 in a hot tub. Schott had been working for Pressler's law partner Jared Woodfill and says he resigned from his position after the incident.

Schott said in his resignation letter in May 2017 that news of what had happened had spread and had harmed his reputation in the legal community. He wrote: 'You can imagine how this would make any young lawyer feel when trying to start their legal career. Especially when I have a reputation which is associated with a religious belief system that does not condone Pressler's inappropriate behavior.'

Pressler has sought to have the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds of the statute of limitations.