Evangelical Pastor Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Female Followers During "Spiritual Discipline" Spanking Sessions

An evangelical pastor, who administered "spiritual discipline" by spanking female members of his congregation's bare bottoms with his hand, was convicted of sex offences last Friday.

The spankings, which were also dished-out to children, were to satisfy 73 year-old self-styled Reverend Howard Curtis's "desire for power and sexual satisfaction," Croydon Crown Court heard.

"An immediate custodial sentence is inevitable in this case," announced Judge Peter Gower QC. "I'm granting bail as a matter of mercy so he can put his affairs in order."

He told the first-time offender, who is banned from the church as a condition of bail, to return for sentencing on April 22, adding: "You have been convicted of some very serious offences."

The father-of-three, of Bloxworth Close, Wallington ran the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship (CCF) as a cult, prosecutor Mr. Toby Fitzgerald told the jury.

He was convicted of five counts of sexual assault between January 2009 and July 2013 against one female worshipper; one count of sexual assault against another between 2007 and 2009 and two counts of child cruelty against two youngsters. 

The five counts regarded one woman he ordered to strip naked before putting her over his knee to slap, continuing the beating when she collapsed to the floor - with one of the dozen or so sessions in front of her husband.

He introduced the student nurse to his version of "Christian domestic discipline" - following Bible teachings of keeping women in their place.

"She trusted him completely as a man of God," said Mr. Fitzgerald, explaining the first disciplining - for untidiness - occurred in the defendant's office at the church.

"She pulled down her trousers and underwear and lay across his lap. He hit her hard about twelve times until she ended up on the floor.

"She'd become, in effect, a rag doll in the defendant's hands."

Subsequent discipline sessions were for "lacking femininity" and having a "frigid spirit," the jury were told.

"The defendant told her to strip completely naked and she lay across his lap and he slapped her. 

"He also smacked her not  only on her bottom, but between her legs for not recognising her femininity."

Curtis also took naked pictures of her on his mobile phone and fondled her between her legs, once inserting a finger, the jury were told, although he was cleared of that particular charge.

When arrested he did not deny the spankings, insisting they were consensual.

The second woman was told it was "God's will" she be punished and she agreed to his form of discipline, which took place in another follower's house, next-door to the Chipstead Valley Road church.

"She leaned over a bannister in the hallway and took her trousers and knickers down so he could spank her bare bottom.

"She was told it was important not to tell him when to stop, he would decide when it was time to stop and he continued to beat her forcefully.

"There were twenty to thirty strikes with his bare hand and she felt it was going on forever and was crying. She was black and blue and told all these actions were in God's name."

He was convicted of one count of child cruelty between March 1, 2007 and February 28, 2008 in relation to the woman's nine year-old daughter.

She was put over his knee and beaten "very hard" until she started crying, explained Mr. Fitzgerald.

The second child cruelty conviction relates to a worshipper's baby, whose bottom he is accused of pinching, some time between January 1, 1986 and January 3, 1989.

Curtis was ordained in 1988 under the umbrella of the Elim Pentecostal church.

"He presented himself as an inspirational man of God," said Mr. Fitzgerald. "The Crown say the church was run for this defendant and he cloaked himself in the trappings of a religious leader.

"In reality he was nothing of the sort. He deceived his congregation, including children.

"He said he was going to cast out evil spirits from people and that discipline had to be administered by striking bare flesh with the bare hand."

He was found not guilty of two counts of indecent assault in relation to a third female worshipper; digital penetration; two child cruelty counts regarding a boy and causing actual bodily harm to a young girl.