# Cult priest forced young newlyweds to sell house for church before sexual assault > Cult leader coerced young couple to sell home for church funds before sexually assaulting bride. - Title: Cult priest forced young newlyweds to sell house for church… - Summary: Cult leader coerced young couple to sell home for church funds before sexually assaulting bride. Cult priest Chris Brain forced newlywed couple to sell… - Keywords: chris brain, church of god, sheffield, sexual assault, cult, newlyweds, house sale, nfl, news, entertainment, priest, forced - Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16139059/Cult-priest-forced-young-newlyweds-sell-house-fund-church-sexually-assaulting-bride-court-told.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss - Published: 2026-09-17T13:56:03+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: chris brain, church of god, sheffield, sexual assault, cult, newlyweds, house sale, nfl, news, entertainment ## Cult leader's control A young worshipper was coerced into giving naked massages to Chris Brain or face ostracism. > I don't feel I had the choice (to say no) ## Brain's sexual abuse The woman described being regularly summoned to Chris Brain's bedroom where she would strip naked and have her breasts fondled. > He usually had an erection at the time ## Brain's religious influence Brain's distinctive Nine O'Clock Services in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s drew legions of young worshippers into the Church of England. > Because everyone else around me was telling me how wonderful he was ## Financial coercion The woman said she and her then husband gave the full £8,000 from the sale of their home in the early 1980s to Brain's church. > We had to give the full £8,000 from the sale of our home ## Family isolation She said they were 'positively encouraged not to spend any time with our blood families'. > Right from the beginning, the Church of God is your family and we were encouraged from the off not to have anything to do with our parents and siblings ## Strict control Brain and his 'disciples' were incredibly strict about what she and other young women ate, what exercise they took, and the clothes they wore. > You knew you were being punished - by displeasing Brain you were displeasing God ## Holiday shunning She said she was ignored on a group holiday because her baby daughter was wearing a hat Brain did not approve of. > We hadn't taken off yet and a woman came up to me and said: 'Chris wants to know why (the baby) is wearing that hat' ## Psychological trauma The woman said she was 'troubled' by her experiences massaging Brain but believed doing so would bring her closer to God. > I wanted to be involved and included and belong but I was a really inexperienced girl ## Decision to leave She wrote in her diary: 'I cannot get lower than this, there is no way out'. > I wrote in my diary - I cannot get lower than this, there is no way out ## Legal status Chris Brain, 69, denies all charges, including three counts of indecent assault between 1990 and 1993. > Brain, 69, denies all charges, including three counts of indecent assault between 1990 and 1993 relating to the woman ## Trial context The trial is for a series of sexual offences in the 1980s and 1990s after Brain was previously convicted of attacks on women. > Brain is accused of raping one woman and assaulting three others between 1983 and 1995 ## Current status The woman left Brain's family home upon return to the UK at the end of the holiday. > So I decided to give up on my faith and that was the best thing I ever did ## Psychological impact She said if she could turn back time, she would never want to meet Chris Brain. > If I could turn the clock back and never have met the guy, I would want that ## Ostracism consequences She was ostracised for minor things that undermined Brain, including her baby daughter's clothing choices. > I was in big trouble because I had done the thing in the first place and was rubbish at repenting ## Financial impact The couple gave £8,000 from the sale of their home to Brain's church in the early 1980s. > We had to give the full £8,000 from the sale of our home ## Current trial Brain is on trial for a series of sexual offences in the 1980s and 1990s after being previously convicted of attacks on women. > Brain is accused of raping one woman and assaulting three others between 1983 and 1995 ## Key takeaway Cult priest Chris Brain forced newlywed couple to sell £8,000 home to fund his church before sexually assaulting bride.