\u00a0(Photo: Crown Prosecution Service)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFormer Church of England priest Chris Brain has been convicted of rape and four counts of indecent assault following a retrial.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The conviction led to renewed apologies from the Bishop of Sheffield and confirmation that an independent safeguarding review will now begin.<\/p>\n
Brain, 69, who founded the Nine O\u2019Clock Service in Sheffield, was found guilty at Inner London Crown Court on Friday. The verdicts bring his total convictions to 22.<\/p>\n
He had been convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women in August 2025, but the original jury could not agree on five other charges. Those offences, involving four women, were considered during the five-week retrial.<\/p>\n
The Nine O\u2019Clock Service attracted young worshippers through live music and nightclub-style events during the 1980s and 1990s. Brain was accused of exploiting his religious authority by making women believe that refusing his sexual demands would mean they were failing as Christians.<\/p>\n
In a statement following the verdict, the Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Pete Wilcox, commended the women who gave evidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first thoughts today are with the women whose courage brought this retrial to a conclusion. They have now given evidence, in full, not once but twice. It is unfortunate that that was necessary, and I am acutely conscious of the cost it has had for them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Wilcox also recognised the distress experienced by others outside the criminal proceedings and renewed his apology.<\/p>\n
He continued, \u201cLast year I offered an unreserved apology for the abuse of power and leadership that took place within the Nine O\u2019Clock Service. Today\u2019s verdict adds to that same picture, and my apology stands in full.\u201d<\/p>\n
An independent Safeguarding Practice Review commissioned last year had been postponed to avoid interfering with the retrial. It will examine how the Church responded at the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith today\u2019s verdict, that review will now begin, and I remain committed to seeing it through, and to acting on its findings,\u201d Wilcox said.<\/p>\n
Brain was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chris Brain\u00a0(Photo: Crown Prosecution Service) Former Church of England priest Chris Brain has been convicted of rape and four counts of indecent assault following a retrial.\u00a0 The conviction led to renewed apologies from the Bishop of Sheffield and confirmation that an independent safeguarding review will now begin. Brain, 69, who founded the Nine O\u2019Clock Service […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7076895,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[16834,237325,10696,3007,237322,16928,237324,40701,237323,53342,45098,3749,348,42278],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7076894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-abuse","tag-bishop-of-sheffield","tag-brain","tag-chris","tag-chris-brain","tag-church","tag-church-of-england","tag-convicted","tag-nine-oclock-service","tag-priest","tag-rape","tag-review","tag-set","tag-sexual-assault"],"yoast_head":"\n
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