[A former priest accused of abusing
members of a "cult-like" church group
he led has been found guilty of 17 counts
of indecent assault against nine women.
Chris Brain, 68, was head of the
Nine O'Clock Service (NOS),
an influential evangelical movement based
in Sheffield in the 1980s and 90s.
Brain, of Wilmslow, in Cheshire,
was convicted of the charges following
a trial at Inner London Crown Court.
He was found not guilty of another
15 charges of indecent assault,
while jurors are continuing to deliberate
on a further four counts of indecent
assault and one charge of rape.
Wearing a black suit and black shirt,
Brain showed no emotion as the jury
foreman delivered the verdicts.
The jury are expected to return to court
on Thursday to continue their deliberations
on the remaining counts.
During the trial, prosecutor Tim Clark KC said some
of the women had been sexually abused
after being recruited to a so-called
"homebase team" charged with looking
after Brain and his family.
He told the court the group became known
among NOS members as the "Lycra lovelies"
or the "Lycra nuns" after witnesses reported
seeing the defendant surrounded by
attractive women in lingerie at his home.]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20662dxl88o
Dirty Bugger