Use of Jesus Army's fortune is appalling, says victims' lawyer

A lawyer representing 150 victims of the Jesus Army said plans to allow people accused of child abuse to receive a share of the cult's fortune were "shameful".

A BBC investigation revealed 172 former loyal members of the disgraced Northamptonshire-based evangelical sect would receive much larger payouts than those awarded to victims under a redress scheme.

It is understood some who have been people accused of perpetrating or covering up abuse could be among the beneficiaries of the group's assets - which is estimated to be more £50m - a prospect survivors have described as "sickening".

Malcolm Johnson, a lawyer from Lime Solicitors, said the only right action to take was redirect the leftover assets for charitable use.

A spokesperson for the Jesus Fellowship Community Trust (JFCT), which is winding up the group's affairs, said the identities of the fund's beneficiaries were not being disclosed to protect the privacy of victims who made their allegations in confidence.

He insisted the trustees had consulted with Mr Johnson over a long period of time and had no powers to redirect the assets.

Under a court order, anyone with unresolved claims against the JFCT must have made an application by 16 October, otherwise they will have permanently lost the ability to do so.

Over 50 years the Jesus Fellowship acquired dozens of large houses and successful businesses, paid for by its 3,500 community members who often put everything they earned and owned into a trust.

Documents seen by the BBC reveal the group's assets in 2017 were valued at £58.6m.

When the trust closed in 2020, the assets were liquidated and about £25m was divided among the remaining 172 members - known as listed beneficiaries - in the form of relief of need, or return of capital.

Beneficiaries have also reported receiving a lump sum of £63,000.

Last year the trust compensated 601 victims who say they suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse in the Jesus Fellowship, with individuals receiving about £13,000 each on average.

The damages were partly paid for by insurers and court papers show £25m remains in the trust, which will now also be shared among the listed beneficiaries.

It would mean about 10% of the Jesus Fellowship's total assets have been spent on victims, though the trustees insisted the true figure was closer to 20%.

Mr Johnson told the BBC the abuse endured by his clients was "truly harrowing".

He said he was aware of no action being taken by the church against many of the alleged perpetrators, some of whom were long-standing members.

"The news [some people accused of abuse] could end up with more remuneration than their victims is appalling.

"It is a shameful example of how cults like the Jesus Army escape responsibility for their alleged crimes," Mr Johnson added.

The JFCT trustees said all allegations made during the redress scheme had been reported to the police, who were the only party able to take any action.

A review of damages claims carried out by the JFCT identified 539 alleged abusers within the sect - about one fifth of the total membership - including 162 former leaders.

About ten former members who have been convicted of offences in community houses are understood to be precluded from the distribution of assets.

Since the broadcast of a BBC documentary, Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, Kathleen Hallisey, a lawyer from Scott-Moncrieff and Associates, says she has taken on about 60 new clients who are pursuing claims.

They include eight women who were known as domestic sisters.

"If you were a married woman in the Jesus Fellowship you had to work as a domestic sister and were forced to cook, wash and clean every day for a large house full of men, as well bring up your own children.

"In a modern slavery context, I believe it amounts to exploitation because if you don't perform this unpaid job, you have to leave the community destitute with no money or support."

Ms Hallisey said many of the new claimants she has spoken to suffered breakdowns or tried to take their own lives.

She said one woman, who left the community in 2014, prepped lunch for 38 people while heavily pregnant and gave birth that afternoon.

The trustees of the JFCT have publicly apologised for the abuse that occurred within the church and said all allegations had been reported to the police.

"The trustees have recognised the importance of meaningfully engaging with not just the listed beneficiaries, but with others who have an interest in the winding up."

The spokesperson said it was misleading to present the beneficiaries of the trust as the perpetrator group with a bright line between the victims, and insisted the position was much more complex.

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