A former priest, Chris Brain, 69, has denied sexually assaulting women in a "cult" within the Church of England, telling Inner London Crown Court there was "nothing wrong" with members of his congregation giving him massages in his bedroom. Mr Brain accepted he had sexual contact with some members of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS), a group he led in Sheffield between 1986 and 1995, but insisted this was always consensual.
Mr Brain, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, is being retried on a charge of rape and four counts of indecent assault after jurors last year were unable to reach verdicts. He has already been convicted of sexual offences against "numerous" women, the court heard. Prosecutors have accused Mr Brain of "purposely creating a cult" in which he abused young women who had become emotionally dependent on his approval.
Giving evidence on Tuesday, Mr Brain said the women were "close friends" who "would want to give me a massage" when he arrived home late, and that this had become sexual only "very, very rarely". He told the court he had consensual sexual contact with two of his accusers, including the alleged rape victim, and no sexual contact with the other two women. Mr Brain continues to deny his guilt in relation to the crimes of which he was convicted last year. The trial continues.