Former Priest Chris Brain Convicted of Rape and Sexual Assaults

• •Chris Brain was convicted of rape and multiple sexual assaults against congregation members.
• •The Nine O'Clock Service was described as a cult-like environment where victims were manipulated.
• •Brain's sentencing is pending, concluding a lengthy legal battle over his abusive actions.

Chris Brain, a former Church of England priest, was found guilty of multiple sexual offences, including one count of rape and four counts of indecent assault, during a retrial at Inner London Crown Court. The 69-year-old had previously been convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault in 2025. Brain exploited his position of spiritual authority over members of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS), a radical congregation he founded in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s. Victims testified that they were manipulated into a cult-like environment where they were isolated from family and coerced into sexual acts. The court heard that Brain's control extended to dictating personal relationships and financial dependencies among his followers. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this year. This case highlights the severe abuse of power within religious organizations.