CULT MEMBER IS JAILED FOR ABUSING DAUGHTER

Source : 06/02/1992 Daventry Weekly Express

A member of a Bugbrooke religious cult-group, The Jesus Army, has been jailed for two years after repeatedly sexually abusing his young daughter.

The 40-year old man began a catalogue of indecency when the girl was just eight.

The assaults happened when the victim's mother was out shopping and involved indecent touching and oral sex.

For three years the abuse continued until the girl started a new school and was discovered sobbing hysterically inside a cupboard.

Geraldine Chapman, prosecuting at Northampton Crown Court, said: 'She was taken to see the headmistress and after great difficulty, eventually, admitted what had happened to her.'

'She said her father had told her that when she was old enough he would have sex with her, but she wouldn't get pregnant because he had had the snip.'

The man, a former soldier, of Towcester, admitted two specimen counts of indecent assault and two of indecency with a child spanning a three year period from 1988 to October last year.

Nigel Rumfitt, defending, said he is extremely distressed and cannot understand why he was doing it.

'He has a sad history and was the victim of this sort of thing when he was a child.'

He told the court the man had contemplated suicide because of his trouble in 'coming to terms with his sexual urges.'

Mr Rumfitt said since the allegations had come to light he had taken refuge with the Jesus Army.

Dr. Andrew Stockley, a leading figure within the cult, told the court if the defendant was jailed they would welcome him back into their community after he had served his sentence, and find him work.

Sentencing him, Judge Peter Crane, said 'I don't need to tell you how dreadfully serious these offences were. This was a young girl for whom you had responsibility and this was a gross breach of trust - she must be dreadfully damaged.'

The Jesus Army is part of the Jesus Fellowship, a wealthy religious cult based in Bugbrooke.