Overview of Media Coverage of the Chris Brain Trial: A Factual Summary

On July 1, 2025, several UK media outlets reported on the start of the trial of former priest Christopher Brain at Inner London Crown Court. The coverage was broadly consistent across all sources, detailing the main allegations and the prosecution’s opening statements.

Universally Reported Information:

All provided articles reported the following core facts:

• Defendant: Christopher Brain, 68, of Wilmslow, Cheshire.
• Charges: One count of rape and 36 counts of indecent assault against 13 women. The alleged offences took place between 1981 and 1995.
• Context: The allegations relate to his time as leader of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS), an evangelical church group in Sheffield.
• Prosecution’s Case: The prosecution, led by Tim Clark KC, alleged that Brain led the NOS as a “cult” and sexually assaulted a “staggering number” of women from his congregation.

Common Points Across Coverage

References to the so-called “Lycra Lovelies” Group

• Most outlets reported on the group of women, referred to as the “Lycra Lovelies” or “Lycra Nuns,” who were part of a “homebase team” to care for Brain.
• They were described as attractive women who wore lingerie or other revealing clothing and kept his home “spotlessly clean”.
• It was alleged that these women were on a rota to put Brain to bed, which included performing “sexual favours”.

Prosecutor’s “Life of Brian” Analogy

• A majority of the articles highlighted the prosecutor’s pop culture reference.
• Tim Clark KC was quoted as summarizing the defense’s case by referencing the film The Life of Brian: “He’s not the Messiah, he’s just a very naughty boy”.

Allegations Concerning Members’ Finances and Social Isolation

• Several reports mentioned that members were encouraged to give up their time and finances.
• Some articles specified that members gave up inheritances or their homes. The Telegraph added the detail that one member contributed 10% of her benefits income.
• The theme of isolation was common, with reports stating members were encouraged to separate from friends and family. The Star reported a specific allegation that Brain told a woman her friends outside the church were a “den of wolves”.

1995 Confrontation Over Alleged Victim Numbers

• Multiple sources reported that when Brain was confronted in 1995 with allegations that he had abused up to 40 women, he replied: “I thought it was more”.

Robes

• Several outlets reported that large sums were spent to acquire the robes worn by Robert De Niro in the film The Mission for Brain’s ordination ceremony.

Outlet Specific Reporting of Details and Allegations

While the core story was the same, some outlets included unique details from the prosecution’s opening statement:

The Independent¹

was the only outlet to report an allegation that…

On one occasion he pinned her down on the floor, pressed himself against her and said she “needed to accept that she was the sort of woman who wanted to be raped and that she couldn’t be spiritual person unless she admitted this”, Mr Clark said

The Times² and The Star³

both reported an allegation that Brain groped a woman in her bed after she returned from volunteering with families affected by the Hillsborough disaster.

Sky News⁴

Sky News reported that Brain was arrested in 2021. Sky News also reported about an alleged interaction between Brain and a member.

When one member asked what was the difference between NOS and the Branch Davidians, whose members were killed after a siege with the US government in Waco Texas in 1993, Brain said it was that he was ‘accountable’ to the Church of England, the prosecutor said

The Telegraph⁵ and The Times

Both noted that NOS had been set to expand to California.

BBC News⁶

The BBC reported the specific allegation that Brain urged one victim to use her “sexual power” to “glorify God”.

The court heard Mr Brain told one of his alleged victims he was helping her to “heal from her sexual repression” and urged another to use her “sexual power” to “glorify God”.

Sources

Footnotes

1. Amy-Clare Martin, “Scantily dressed ‘Lycra nuns’ kept church cult leader’s home spotless, trial hears,” The Independent, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/reverend-chris-brain-sheffield-church-cult-b2780121.html (accessed 2nd July 2025). ↩

2. Sean O’Neill, “‘Rave church’ leader abused staggering number of women, court told,” The Times, https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/rave-church-leader-abused-staggering-number-of-women-court-told-8x5rtszqj (accessed 2nd July 2025). ↩

3. Sarah Marshall (PA), “Evangelical Sheffield church ‘cult’ leader Chris Brain assaulted ‘staggering number’ of women, jury told,” The Star, https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/courts/evangelical-sheffield-church-cult-leader-chris-brain-assaulted-staggering-number-of-women-jury-told-5204272 (accessed 2nd July 2025). ↩

4. Henry Vaughan, “Cult leader Chris Brain abused position to sexually assault ‘staggering number of women’, court hears,” Sky News, https://news.sky.com/story/cult-leader-chris-brain-abused-position-to-sexually-assault-staggering-number-of-women-court-hears-13390845 (accessed 2nd July 2025). ↩

5. Gabriella Swerling, “Priest ‘ran abuse cult surrounded by lingerie-wearing Lycra Nuns’,” The Telegraph, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/01/priest-ran-abuse-cult-amid-lingerie-wearing-lycra-nuns/ (accessed 2nd July 2025). ↩

6. : Chris Baynes, “Sheffield priest assaulted ‘staggering number’ of women, court told” BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y22jy89vno (accessed 1st July 2025). ↩