A jury has been discharged in the trial of a former Church of England priest who ran a rave-inspired “cult” group.
Christopher Brain, 68, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, was the leader of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield between 1986 and 1995.
He was charged with one count of rape and 36 counts of indecent assault between 1981 and 1995 against 13 women.
Brain pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was found guilty of 17 counts of indecent assault relating to nine women and acquitted of 15 similar charges.
The 11-strong jury, sitting at Inner London Crown Court, was discharged by Judge Freya Newbery on Thursday after failing to reach a verdict on five counts, having started deliberations on 12 August.
The judge told the jurors: “I am going to discharge you now on those counts. For you, it all comes to an end now.
“I am really grateful for such a lot of time that you have given.”
A further hearing to determine whether prosecutors believe there are grounds for a retrial for the charges was set for 4 September.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
