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About 60 former members of the Jesus Army, a cult described as one of the most abusive in British history, have come forward with new allegations against the group, according to a lawyer representing claimants.
The cases range from allegations of sexual or domestic abuse to claims for unpaid work from women who served as “domestic sisters” in the cult, which at its peak in the mid-2000s had several thousand members, many of whom surrendered their assets to the leadership.
Married women living in the group’s many communal houses were required to work long hours, unpaid, and some lawyers believe they were treated as modern slaves. Some of the claimants also allege they reported abuse to the Jesus Army’s leadership, who failed to act.
The approaches have been made to Kathleen Hallisey, a solicitor with Scott-Moncrieff & Associates, after a Guardian piece and BBC documentary, Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, in July.
Hallisey is now preparing 24 civil claims against the Jesus Fellowship Community Trust (JCFT), which has been tasked with winding up the group’s assets after its closure in 2019. She said: “The number of new cases is way beyond what I expected in terms of more people coming forward.”
Sarah, who appeared in the BBC documentary, lived in a Jesus Army communal house between the ages of 21 and 33, and is now pursuing a claim for abuse. “Before, I felt a measure of guilt, a measure of loyalty, and indoctrination,” she said. “But doing the programme, and working with Gilly [a cult counsellor who was also part of the documentary] really, really helped.”
Founded in Northampton in 1969 by Baptist pastor Noel Stanton, the group’s leadership controlled members’ finances and enforced strict rules, including banning Christmas, snacks and cinema outings.
An estimated £25m of the Jesus Army’s assets remain, and the high court has set a deadline of 11.59pm on 16 October for claims from those who believe they are entitled to part of this sum, after which time the assets will be distributed by the JFCT, with the exception of a £2.85m fund, which will be used to cover any future costs. Personal injury claims, which would include any allegations of abuse, could still be made after this date.
Based on the heightened interest and coverage of the group, and the number of survivors now coming forward, Hallisey has written to the trustees asking for this deadline to be extended, which the trustees have not agreed to.
The Jesus Fellowship Survivors Association is concerned that those set to receive a portion of the Jesus Army’s remaining funds may include alleged perpetrators of abuse. It said: “We are deeply concerned that the £25m currently held by the JFCT may be distributed solely among those who were members when the Jesus Fellowship closed down, including some individuals who were in positions of leadership and/or are alleged to have perpetrated or covered up abuse.
“Ongoing media coverage of the Jesus Army has prompted more survivors to come forward on a daily basis, and they deserve the opportunity to be heard and supported. We urge anyone who believes they may have a valid claim against the JFCT to seek independent legal advice as soon as possible.”
The survivors association has gained about 100 new members since July. The trust has said it could not comment on the identities of potential beneficiaries for confidentiality reasons.
The Jesus Army closed down about six years ago amid widespread allegations of abuse and a cover-up by the group’s leaders. A redress scheme has previously paid out compensation to more than 500 former members of the Jesus Army for sexual, physical and emotional abuse. The scheme, which was implemented by the trust and open from September 2022 to December 2023, identified 264 alleged perpetrators, of whom 61% held leadership positions in the church, and estimated that one in six children in the group were sexually abused.
