The Jesus Fellowship Church, a defunct religious cult, has identified 539 alleged perpetrators of abuse and revealed that approximately one in six children suffered sexual abuse. The cult disbanded in 2019 after allegations of widespread child abuse were revealed by the BBC. The Jesus Fellowship Community Trust (JFCT), which has been winding up the group’s affairs, acknowledged its failure to report abuse to authorities and active discouragement of victims from involving others. The scheme, which compensates members of the cult, found that 601 individuals applied for damages, although the trust recognised that the actual number of victims was probably higher.
The cult recruited thousands of people to live in puritanical communities in Northamptonshire, London and the Midlands, and some of those accused, including 162 former leaders, may have taken up roles in other churches. Northamptonshire Police is liaising with relevant local authorities to see if any safeguarding action is needed. The JFCT’s final report revealed that the trust accepted ultimate responsibility for 264 alleged abusers, of whom 61% were former leaders. The findings have been passed on to the police.
Phillipa Barnes, 46, who grew up in a communal house and testified in court against an elder who was convicted for sexually assaulting a young person, is among the many hundreds affected in childhood, along with being forced to endure an extreme schedule of worship and having toys and games removed. She fled the cult and eventually founded the Jesus Fellowship Survivors Association. Kathleen Hallisey, from Hugh James solicitors, is representing more than 100 survivors. She expressed her concern that many potential abusers identified had never been brought to justice and that there was no mandatory reporting for abuse in the UK.
The JFCT is planning to make further discretionary payments to former members with any surplus funds, once it has been dissolved, although civil claims in the courts have delayed the process. In 2020, an inquiry commissioned by the Jesus Fellowship found that five senior leaders, known as the Apostles, had covered up the abuse of women and children. A leaked summary of Vicky Lawson-Brown’s 800-page report stated that the men had colluded with sex offenders and mishandled complaints. To date, 12 former members have been convicted of indecent assaults and other offences.
If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, you can find information and support on the BBC Action Line pages. The cult originated at Bugbrooke Chapel, Northamptonshire in 1969 by the late Baptist preacher, Noel Stanton, who has been accused of numerous sexual assaults on boys. Members were put to work at Jesus Fellowship businesses, then transported to city centres at weekends to evangelise and encourage others to join the movement. Stanton delivered frequent sermons to community residents, which included exorcisms and speaking in tongues, where members were publically urged to recant their sins.
The JFCT wishes to apologise for “the severely detrimental impact” on people’s lives and hopes the conclusion of the redress scheme will “provide an opportunity to look to the future” for all those affected over the last 50 years
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