Court case

[David Sedgwick]

So far as I can tell, no connection between the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship and Agon has been alleged.

Don't tempt me, at least while the Curtis trial is ongoing.

[JustinHorton]

Guilty on a number of serious charges. Sentencing next month. A custodial sentence is quite certain.

[Jonathan Rogers]

I would actually be quite curious to know how the prosecution alleged that there was no consent (there is more than one possibility but none seems quite conclusive). It looks rather like some of the problem situations that I give to my students!

[John Upham]

Something which struck me as highly significant was

Toby Fitzgerald, prosecuting, said Curtis's wife had refused to submit to Christian Domestic Discipline, a movement which advocates a wife's submission to her husband, involving non-sexual spanking.

[David Sedgwick]

I was present in the public gallery when the verdicts were given and I'd like to clarify one or two points.

Curtis faced a total of 15 charges. He was found guilty of two charges of child cruelty, one against each of two then children, and six charges of sexual assault, five against one woman and one against a second. He was found not guilty of the other seven charges.

The report by The Telegraph to which Justin has provided a link refers to a charge of assault by penetration without making it clear that Curtis was acquitted of this charge.

[JustinHorton]

Mail

[David Sedgwick]

I would actually be quite curious to know how the prosecution alleged that there was no consent (there is more than one possibility but none seems quite conclusive). It looks rather like some of the problem situations that I give to my students!

It was the Crown's case that any apparent consent was nugatory as the defendant had deceived the complainants as to the true nature and purpose of the activities in question.

[Neil Graham]

Thankfully reports of this on-going case no longer make reference to chess. The early ones did.

Unfortunately the standard photo shown (courtesy of the local newspaper) is of the defendant sat in front of a chess board - as in the Mail link shown above.

[John Upham]

Unfortunately the standard photo shown (courtesy of the local newspaper) is of the defendant sat in front of a chess board - as in the Mail link shown above.

The chess picture has not appeared for a couple of years.

I gather that Mike Gunn is the SCCA spokesperson on this matter and that MG has briefed the ECF CEO.

[JustinHorton]

Unfortunately the standard photo shown (courtesy of the local newspaper) is of the defendant sat in front of a chess board - as in the Mail link shown above.

The chess picture has not appeared for a couple of years.

??

[Jonathan Rogers]

I would actually be quite curious to know how the prosecution alleged that there was no consent (there is more than one possibility but none seems quite conclusive). It looks rather like some of the problem situations that I give to my students!

It was the Crown's case that any apparent consent was nugatory as the defendant had deceived the complainants as to the true nature and purpose of the activities in question.

Thanks for this, David. That would explain the acquittal on the assault by penetration count.

[Paul McKeown]

Is there any possibility of a connection to an earlier misfortune at Coulsdon? I don't want to stir the pot, and I don't want to pick at healing wounds, but the coincidence has always struck me. A diplomatically worded response would be welcome.

[David Sedgwick]

Is there any possibility of a connection to an earlier misfortune at Coulsdon? I don't want to stir the pot, and I don't want to pick at healing wounds, but the coincidence has always struck me. A diplomatically worded response would be welcome.

I'm not aware of any misfortune "at Coulsdon" to which you might be referring. I'm aware of a misfortune involving a player from Coulsdon Chess Fellowship. If I'm on the right lines, the answer appears to be that there is no connection whatsoever.

During the trial there were various suggestions, mostly emanating from the defence, that the allegations were in some way linked to a number of episodes at or involving Coulsdon Christian Fellowship. A car and a motorbike featured, as did a revivalist movement from Canada.

When the judge discharged the jury at the end, he described it as an extraordinary case. I'd like to leave things there.

[David Sedgwick]

That would explain the acquittal on the assault by penetration count.

On that count, consent was not an issue. The defence was that no such incident had ever taken place.

[David Sedgwick]

Do I need to close this one off before we descend further?

The brave women who gave at times harrowing evidence in court deserve better than some of the recent posts on this thread.

That said, there could well be some responsible discussion following the sentencing hearing on Friday 22nd April. I would hope that that could take place.