Christopher Brain Trial - 3rd July 2025
A summary of the media coverage of the trial
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Testimony of Bishop Stephen Lowe1
Bishop Stephen Lowe, the former Archdeacon of Sheffield, gave evidence to the court over a video link. He told the court that after the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS) moved to Sheffield city centre, he was asked to “keep an eye on it” because the move meant it was “running free” from the general rules of the Church of England. Bishop Lowe described the events as “traumatic for me as the Bishop2 [sic] involved”.1
He testified that he was “being kept at arm’s length by Chris,” who he said “saw me as a threat to his activities.” Bishop Lowe was not permitted one-on-one sessions with Brain and initially acted on “rumour and my own unease.” After two conversations with individuals confirmed to him that Brain had been “having inappropriate sexual relations” with NOS members, he confronted him the court heard.1
The Bishop told the court about the substance of that confrontation: “I put to Chris Brain that he had had sexual relationships with - I forget the number I asked, but I said 20 or 40 women from the Nine O’clock Service and he had said to me it was many more than that, maybe double that or something of that kind- and it was that that bowled me over…” He added, “I’m quite clear he doubled the number to me… There was a certain bullishness to his response” the Bishop told the court.1
When told by Brain’s barrister that his client “doesn’t accept he made that sort of admission to you,” Bishop Lowe replied, “I understand but I deeply regret I don’t have the evidence of my colleague who is now deceased and accompanied me on my visit and reported it to others.”1
The trial continues.
Footnotes
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Sophie Corcoran, “Bishop recalls moment he asked Christopher Brain about sex with flock claims” Yorkshire Live, https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/bishop-asked-chris-brain-sex-31987017 (accessed 4th July 2025). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
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The Yorkshire Live article clarifies that Stephen Lowe was the Archdeacon of Sheffield at the time of these events, though he is quoted here using his later title of Bishop. ↩
About Daniel Caerwyn
Daniel Caerwyn is a pseudonym - Writer focused on systemic causes of organisational dysfunction. Writes with love from and for the Church and the people in it.
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