A former Church of England priest, Chris Brain, 69, has been likened to BBC predator Sir Jimmy Savile by an associate who described him as the church's "golden boy." Brain is accused of raping a worshipper and committing other abuses against women who were part of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield.
Brain has already been convicted of sexual offenses against women connected to NOS. He currently denies one count of rape and four counts of indecent assault against four women at Inner London Crown Court.
Chris Essdale, a music producer who knew Brain before he became a priest, testified that Brain led a group seeking a more contemporary form of worship in the late 1980s. This group evolved into the popular Nine O'Clock Service, which attracted up to 600 people and relocated to larger premises. Essdale told the court that a "cult of fear" surrounded Brain, with an "inner circle" who idolized him. He stated that members were pressured to sever ties with family and friends, and faced ostracism if they did not comply with the group's demands.
Essdale drew a parallel between Brain's position within the church and that of Jimmy Savile at the BBC or Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that just as the BBC promoted Savile, the Church of England defended and promoted Brain. "That's why I brought it up," Essdale said.
Another witness, Rachel Hurding, a headteacher who was involved with NOS in her 20s, described Brain as surrounding himself with women nicknamed "the Lycra Lovelies." She testified that these women had no life outside of Brain's inner circle and were expected to maintain a very slender physique, a look she acknowledged was stereotypical for the time but disagreed that it was universally aspired to by young women.
Brain, who resides in Wilmslow, Cheshire, is currently on trial. The proceedings continue.