Overview

• The prosecution opened its case at Inner London Crown Court on July 1, charging 68-year-old Brain with one count of rape and 36 counts of indecent assault against 13 women between 1981 and 1995.
• Prosecutor Tim Clark KC told jurors that the Nine O’Clock Service evolved from a youthful outreach into a tightly controlled cult in which Brain abused his authority as leader and ordained priest.
• Evidence introduced describes a “homebase team” of women known as the “Lycra Nuns” who wore revealing clothing and were tasked with catering to Brain’s personal and sexual needs.
• Witnesses, including former church staff, recounted mid-1990s concerns over brainwashing and sexually charged services that senior administrators had deemed disturbing.
• Brain denies all charges on grounds of consent and Judge Freya Newbery has instructed jurors to focus strictly on legal consent rather than emotional impact