Former CofE Priest Convicted of Sexual Assaults on Nine Women

Chris Brain, a 68-year-old former Church of England priest and founder of the evangelical Nine O'Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield, has been convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women who were part of his congregation. Brain led the NOS during the 1980s and 1990s, a group known for its nightclub-style worship aimed at young people, which eventually became characterized as a cult where Brain exerted control over his followers, isolating them from friends and family and abusing his authority to commit sexual abuse. Prosecutors described how Brain surrounded himself with a group of young women dubbed the 'Lycra nuns' who served him and his family at his home, and some assaults occurred during massages Brain admitted to receiving, which he claimed were consensual. Despite being cleared of 15 other charges, the jury has yet to decide on four additional counts of indecent assault and one charge of rape, with prosecutors considering a retrial for these. The Church of England had initially supported NOS and fast-tracked Brain’s ordination, but later apologized for failures to act on early warnings about his misconduct. The case has been described by church officials as an appalling abuse of power, with victims manipulated into believing Brain was a mouthpiece of God, contributing to their submission to his demands.