Former Priest Convicted of Sexually Abusing Women in Cult-Like Church Group

Chris Brain abused female members of his cult-like church group

Chris Brain, 68, a former priest and leader of the cult-like Nine O’Clock Service (NOS), has been found guilty of sexually abusing women he manipulated and controlled under the guise of faith. A jury at Inner London Crown Court convicted Brain on 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women, with deliberations ongoing for four further indecent assault charges and one rape charge. He was acquitted of 15 additional charges.

Brain, once ordained by the Church of England in a fast-tracked process in 1991, founded the Nine O’Clock Service in the 1980s and 1990s, attracting young people aged 18 to 30 by combining rave music, club culture, and multimedia into unconventional church gatherings. At its peak, NOS drew around 600 attendees on Sunday evenings.

Behind the spectacle, Brain created a private “homebase” group of women, often referred to as “Lycra Lovelies” or “Lycra Nuns,” who were made to wear lingerie and revealing clothing while serving him, his wife, and his daughter at their Sheffield home. Victims testified that Brain groomed them, coerced them into sexual activity, forced them to perform massages, and even reenacted abusive film scenes. He controlled women by isolating them from their families, demanding they wear identical clothing, and pressuring them to lose weight.

Brain controlled his victims and isolated them from friends and family

The court heard Brain used his position to build a cult-like environment, exploiting followers for money, inheritances, and even their homes. Prosecutor Tim Clark KC said: “In truth, NOS became a closed and controlled group which the defendant dominated and abused his position first as the leader and then as an ordained priest to sexually assault a staggering number of women from his congregation.”

Victims described Brain as a “predator hiding in plain sight” who preyed on women he considered vulnerable. One founding member of the homebase team recalled how up to five women at a time were required to keep his home spotless, while another said Brain’s authority was so absolute that women feared ostracisation if they resisted his demands.

Concerns had been raised about Brain’s conduct, including reports of “scantily clad, lycra-wearing young women” regularly visiting his home for domestic duties, but complaints were dismissed at the time.

Brain denied being a manipulative leader, claiming the clothing was typical of the era and comparing it to outfits worn by the music group Soul II Soul. He admitted receiving massages but argued they were to relieve headaches. He maintained that sexual encounters were consensual, though prosecutors said the “cult-like domineering nature” of his control stripped victims of any real ability to refuse.

Brain, who previously fronted a Christian rock band called Present Tense, resigned from holy orders in the mid-1990s after allegations surfaced. The jury is set to return to court tomorrow to continue deliberations on the outstanding charges.