British pair Skupski & Salisbury reach semi-finals
British pair Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski secured their place in the French Open men's doubles semi-finals with a hard-fought victory over Matthew Ebden and John Peers.The eighth seeds battled back to beat the Australian pair 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4.It is the first time either Skupski or Salisbury, who paired up at the start of the season, have gone beyond the men's quarter-finals in Paris.They are bidding for a first Grand Slam title together, having reached finals on the clay in Qatar and Barcelona this year.Meanwhile, Britain's Henry Patten and Finn Harri Heliovaara missed the opportunity to set up a last-four meeting with Skupski and Salisbury.Second seeds Patten and Heliovaara, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions, lost 6-3 6-4 to American ninth seeds Christian Harrison and Evan King.Skupski will feature in the mixed doubles quarter-finals later on Tuesday, when he and American partner Desirae Krawczyk face top seeds Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok and Croatia's Mate Pavic.
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rave culture, lycra ‘nuns' and ‘sexual healing': Inside the evangelical cult left unchecked in the Church of England
Typed neatly on headed notepaper, the instructions for Reverend Christopher Brain's 'homebase team' were clear. The group of predominantly young, attractive women, who had devoted themselves to a church movement they believed was changing the world, were 'to do anything' their leader required. This included preparing his meals, cleaning his home, looking after his child, 'honouring and praying' for him and always putting his needs before their own. It also required them to sleep at his house for up two nights per week as part of a 24 hour, seven-day rota of unpaid work to leave him free to spread the word about the mission of the Nine O'Clock Service (NOS). Brain had been tipped for a great future in the Church of England after his revolutionary 'rave-style' worship attracted hundreds of young people to his 9pm services in Sheffield. He was preparing to take the movement across the Atlantic to San Francisco. Detailed lists of homebase team duties included washing, ironing, mopping the floor, walking his bull terrier, Badger, and answering the phone. Although they were to prepare his meals – including a dessert – they were instructed to eat after Brain and his wife unless they were explicitly invited to join them. But, sadly, the demands placed on some women who found themselves in Brain's church movement did not stop there. Despite most not believing in sex before marriage, many were expected to give 'sensual' massages to the controlling and charismatic evangelical preacher, who told the women he was helping them to overcome their sexual repression. He was usually in his underwear during the late-night back rubs to relieve 'tension headaches' in the attic bedroom of his marital home, which was paid for, decorated and meticulously maintained by NOS. The women, who were sometimes referred to as 'the Lycra Lovelies' or 'the Lycra Nuns' because of the revealing clothes they wore while they cleaned, feared they would be ostracised if they refused. Many believed he was a form of prophet and one admitted she viewed him as 'almost a God'. This week, 30 years after his evangelical cult operating in the Church of England collapsed in controversy, he was found guilty of abusing nine women. The 68-year-old, who until recently ran a design consultancy in Wilmslow, Cheshire, told the jury he was the 'most radical ordained vicar there was' as he defended his sexual encounters with women in his congregation. 'I wasn't a traditional vicar, I was someone on a journey of radical research and experimentation,' he said, as he insisted any sexual contact with the women was consensual and disputed other incidents ever took place. A panel of eight men and three women found him guilty of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women between 1981 and 1995 following a seven-week trial at Inner London Crown Court. He was acquitted of 15 further counts of the same offence. The jury was discharged without reaching verdicts for one count of rape and four more counts of indecent assault. Prosecutors now have 14 day to decide whether they seek a retrial on those counts. The seeds for the church movement began in the early 80s with his Christian rock band Present Tense. He and a group of acolytes - united by their belief that they did not fit into a traditional church congregation - developed a new type of worship inspired by 80s rave culture and the evangelical preaching of charismatic US pastor John Wimber, whose services were known for so-called 'miracles' and speaking in tongues. At its height, NOS attracted up to 600 congregants to light and music-filled services at St Thomas' in Crookes, Sheffield, later moving to a larger venue at Ponds Forge leisure centre. At one stage there was a mass confirmation service of 93 members, said to be the largest group they had ever confirmed in one church. The Archbishop of Canterbury elect, George Carey, was so enthusiastic about its potential to attract young worshippers that he told Brain he would be happy to see a NOS in every town and city in the country. By 1995, when Brain was finally confronted by church leaders who had been approached with claims he had abused up to 40 women, he replied: 'I thought it was more.' He later admitted to 'improper sexual conduct with a number of women' in the church in a bombshell 1995 BBC documentary, conceding that some members of the homebase team would massage him late at night if he needed. He denied this was abuse even though he obtained sexual gratification, claiming his relationships with the women were close and affectionate. He said he was repentant, willing to change and to put things right. However, giving evidence in his own defence almost 30 years later, he backtracked, claiming he 'over-accepted responsibility' in the programme. Wearing a dark suit and shirt, with thick rimmed glasses, he had to be reminded several times to slow down and speak clearly as he rushed to defend his actions. Asked by his lawyer, Iain Simkins KC, 'what on earth possessed you to have a back massage from another woman' when he was married with a young child, he responded: 'Why not?' Sometimes this developed into sexual touching, he said, explaining his marriage was 'pretty open', but if liaisons progressed to full sex it would be cheating. "With some of my closest friends it would be kissing sometimes, occasionally massaging, stroking,' he said. 'Anything more than that we would back off.' For the women, however, the encounters were often something they said they submitted to in order to survive. One woman, who said she was 'brainwashed' by the priest, alleged on one occasion she was invited to his home while his wife was away in 1983 or 1984, where he pinned her down and raped her, although jurors did not reach a verdict on this count. She told the court she was moving her head 'from side to side' and 'saying no', adding: 'I couldn't get him off me.' Afterwards, he told her to have a bath, the court heard. Although she considered going to the police, she felt it would be too traumatic and wasn't ready for her family to know. Another survivor said she viewed Brain as a form of prophet who told her their contact was part of her 'sexual healing'. He discouraged her from staying in touch with her family and friends, leaving her in fear of being cut off from her only community. She told the court she felt trapped and was left suicidal after 'hundreds' of alleged encounters in which she would sit on Brain's lap and simulate sex because she had an 'innate' need to please him. 'I was never aroused, it wasn't exciting. It was more just a way of surviving I suppose,' she said. 'You did what you thought he wanted in order to keep him appeased. It was nothing to do with passion or expression.' Brain was acquitted multiple counts of indecent assault with the woman. Over the years, several people tried to raise the alarm about Brain's increasingly megalomaniacal tendencies, but he was seemingly given considerable leeway by Anglican church leaders. When Brain took holy orders in December 1991, 'signs of grandiose self-regard were already present' and large sums of money were spent finding the robes worn by the actor Robert De Niro in the movie The Mission for him to wear at his ordination, prosecutor Tim Clark KC told the court. Marilyn Parry, Brain's personal tutor as he was fast-tracked for ordination, told her superiors he was arrogant and failed to meet deadlines, but the diocese did not share her views. "They felt he should be given some slack because he was running such an important ministry for the church,' she said. Dr Mark Stibbe, a former curate at St Thomas', was also rebuked in 1993 by then-Bishop of Sheffield the Rt Rev David Lunn for expressing fears about "extremely disturbing" NOS services featuring "scantily clad young girls gyrating". Dr Stibbe told the jury he had his 'ecclesiastical wrists slapped' for raising concerns and was told: 'We don't conduct witch hunts in the diocese.' While members gave up their jobs, paid into a 'common purse' and some even donated their inheritance to NOS, Brain lived far more comfortably. He was provided with a home, a car and a credit card to eat out. In 1994, the Brain's moved into a five-bedroom seventeenth century farmhouse in the Pennines given to the NOS Trust, a charity set up to handle the movement's finances, by two senior members of the congregation. It had been renovated to Brain's specifications, including a recording and rehearsal studio for musicians and dancers in a converted stable. By the time NOS finally collapsed in August 1995, after a whistleblower took allegations of widespread sexual abuse to Sheffield's archdeacon Stephen Lowe, Brain claims he had already resigned his role as leader as he focussed on establishing himself in California. In an explosive meeting at NOS's offices a few days later, members gathered and shared their experiences. Reactions were extreme, with some collapsing in tears. Some of the women he hurt were left confused and initially defended the man they thought was their spiritual leader, but later came to realise they had been drawn into a cult. For others, the scales fell from their eyes instantly. Initially, the Diocese of Sheffield provided counselling for at least 20 women alleging sexual impropriety. In the weeks that followed up to 150 people left traumatised by their time in NOS were provided support, The Independent reported in 1995. Brain resigned from holy orders in November, days before the BBC's documentary on the scandal was due to air. Astonishly, no police investigation was launched into the abuse until 2019. Detective Superintendent Eleanor Welsh, of South Yorkshire Police, said: 'Brain is a devious and arrogant sexual predator who caused these women significant harm through his abuse of power and cruel manipulation of their faith. 'While I am pleased with the guilty verdicts, I know for the victims it can never take away what Brain did to them. However, I hope that it brings some comfort to know they have had a voice, they have been heard, and the jury has accepted that Brain is a serial sex offender.' Following the trial, the Bishop of Sheffield issued an unreserved apology to Brain's victims for 'institutional failures' by the Church. The Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox also announced an independent Safeguarding Practice Review to examine 'safeguarding responses, culture, and processes' so lessons can be learned. "What happened was an appalling abuse of power and leadership that should never have occurred,' he said. 'Where concerns were raised in the past and were not acted upon properly, that was a failing of the Church. For those institutional failures I offer an unreserved apology.'
BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Minnie Hauk secures Oaks treble with win at York
Minnie Hauk secured an Oaks treble with a comfortable victory in the Yorkshire Oaks on day two of the Ebor meeting at three-year-old filly, ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O'Brien, beat runner-up Estrange by three and a half had already won the Oaks at Epsom in June and the Irish Oaks at the Curragh in Hauk's stablemate, Garden of Eden, finished in third place and Qilin Queen was O'Meara's Estrange did try to put late pressure on Minnie Hauk but was unable to match the 8-15 favourite's pace and Hauk's win gives trainer O'Brien a record-equalling ninth Yorkshire Oaks victory, while this was also jockey Moore's fifth win in the race.O'Brien told ITV Racing: "She's beautiful. She does everything right, she cruises, she's a lovely mover and obviously the [Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe] and the Breeders' Cup Turf, all those races are there for her."Moore, 41, added: "She is a straightforward filly and her record indicates how classy she is. She does not do a lot when she hits the front, but she does what you ask her to do." O'Brien and Moore were presented with their trophies by Queen Camilla, who also came down to the winners' enclosure to offer her congratulations."We are honoured Her Majesty came over and appeared in the picture," O'Brien said. Also on Thursday, Royal Fixation beat fellow 5-2 joint favourite America Queen in the Group Two Lowther Fixation, trained by Ed Walker and ridden by William Buick, finished off strongly to sprint away and win the race for two-year-old fillies by a length."She is not very big but has a big heart. I wanted to put it right today as I felt we should have won at Newmarket [she finished second] last time," said 37-year-old Buick.
BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Motherwell nearing another signing after 'sharp' Hendry
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou says the club are "moving in on" another addition after signing striker Callum Hendry this former St Johnstone, Aberdeen, and Kilmarnock forward could make his debut on Saturday against Hearts in the Premiership, with Askou saying he looks "sharp" in training after his move from MK have been linked with a move, external for former Ross County winger Regan Charles-Cook, who is a free agent after leaving Belgian side Eupen."We're not done in the window yet, which means that when we reach the end of August, we will see a squad that's even more competitive," Askou said."There is [something in the pipeline]. When we can make it official, it's up to how fast we can finalise the last bit. But we are moving in on things. It takes a bit of time with all the paperwork."On Hendry, Askou said: "He's looking good, he's looking sharp."Obviously he hasn't played any competitive league games yet, so the last bit of match fitness will come as soon as he starts to play."He's a very good player and we're really, really pleased to get him to Motherwell. He's shown his abilities, both in England and up here, and he knows a few of the players, he's played with them before, so he's very quickly integrated in the squad."We just look forward to him being part of what we do and contributing, and adding even more competition and quality to the squad, which we obviously need."Askou's side visit Tynecastle on Saturday knowing a win would make it eight games unbeaten to start the campaign under the new boss."The confidence is growing," he said. "I still think there's a lot more to come in terms of effectiveness, because all the underlying data, when we pull that out of the different data companies and suppliers, most of it is top two, top three in the league, except for the last bit of effectiveness in front of goal."There are many things to be pleased about and optimistic about going forward, but we keep pushing and keep doing what we're doing well and keep adding layers to the game, because we are facing a very, very good opponent at the weekend."
