Man who killed Good Samaritan when he drove into wedding brawl guilty of murder
Sheffield Crown Court heard Jhangur first drove into the father of the rival Khan family, who was standing in the street, throwing him over the vehicle's bonnet.
He then crashed into a group of four people, including Chris Marriott, 46, who was out for a post-Christmas walk with his wife and two sons and had stopped to help one of Jhangur's sisters as she was lying in the road.
Jurors heard devout Christian Mr Marriott was killed and the three others were injured, including off-duty midwife Alison Norris and Jhangur's own mother and sister.
The defendant then got out of the car and stabbed his new brother-in-law, Hasan Khan, several times.
The court heard he later told officers at the police station: 'That's why you don't mess with the Jhangurs.'
Jhangur, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, denied the murder and manslaughter of Mr Marriott but pleaded guilty to causing Mr Marriott's death by dangerous driving.
After 18 hours of deliberations, on Wednesday a jury found him guilty of the more serious offence of murder by a majority of 10 to two.
He was cleared of attempting to murder Hasan Khan, but guilty of wounding, and convicted of four charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Alison Norris, Ambreen Jhangur, Nafeesa Jhangur and Riasat Khan.
His father, Mohammed Jhangur, 57, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice after he concealed a knife.
Prosecutor Jason Pitter KC told the jury at the opening of the trial that Jhangur was guilty of murder because he intended 'at the very least to cause really serious harm' when he used his car as a weapon.
He said that although Jhangur's target may have been the Khan family, 'the law says your intentions can be transferred from one person to another, even if he did not intend to hit that particular person'.
Mr Pitter said the 'public spirit' of Mr Marriott and Ms Norris 'brought them unwittingly into the midst of a family dispute', which had spilled out into the street in the Burngreave area of Sheffield on December 27 2023.
Mr Pitter said a wedding between Amaani Jhangur and Hasan Khan, which had taken place that morning, 'appears to have been at the heart of the tension'.
He told jurors an issue arose over the timing and location of the wedding and escalated to Amaani falling out with her own mother and sisters, and none of her family ultimately attended the wedding at the mosque.
The court heard that when Amaani was at the Khan family home in College Court later, her mother Ambreen Jhangur and sister Nafeesa Jhangur arrived, and an increasingly 'unpleasant' argument in the street escalated into violence, and led to Nafeesa Jhangur being rendered unconscious.
Mr Marriott, who was out with his family on a post-Christmas walk, saw Nafessa Jhangur lying in the road and decided, 'fatefully', to see whether he could help, while his wife and children returned home.
Ms Norris, who was also out walking with her partner and children, did the same thing.
The court heard Jhangur had been told about his sister being injured, and arrived at the scene in a Seat Ibiza, driving into Hasan Khan's father, Riasat Khan, who was standing in the middle of the road talking to a 999 call operator.
The Seat then hit a group of four people in the road – Nafeesa Jhangur, Ambreen Jhangur, Ms Norris and Mr Marriott – before coming to a stop in a nearby front garden.
Mr Marriott was wedged completely underneath the car and showed no signs of life when emergency services tipped the vehicle to get to him.
Mr Pitter said Jhangur got out of the car while the engine was still running and stabbed Hasan Khan multiple times to the left side of his head and to his chest, with a knife he had taken with him.
In his speech to the jury, Richard Thyne KC, defending, said that although the 'unintended consequences' of Jhangur's dangerous driving were 'terrible', 'it was neither murder nor was it manslaughter'.
Mr Justice Morris told Jhangur, who was convicted of murder following a retrial, that he faces a life sentence.
He will be jailed on a date to be set.
The judge thanked those in the public gallery, including widow Bryony Marriott and her family, for the 'quiet dignity and courtesy you have shown throughout the trial'.
She did not visibly react when the guilty verdict was returned.
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Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Who was Noel Stanton and how did the founder of the Jesus Army die?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Charismatic preacher turned cult leader Noel Stanton built a religious empire that hid horrific abuse behind colourful buses and a "Christian community" for nearly four decades. Born on Christmas Day 1926, this ordinary Baptist minister transformed into one of Britain's most controversial religious figures when he founded the Jesus Army in rural Northamptonshire. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Noel Stanton preaching to his community Credit: BBC After his death in 2009, aged 82, shocking allegations emerged of systematic physical, sexual and psychological abuse spanning decades. A new BBC documentary now exposes the disturbing truth behind what one survivor describes as "a British cult hiding in plain sight." Who was Noel Stanton? In the 1970s, this firebrand preacher convinced dozens of idealistic Christians to hand over their homes, possessions, and even their children to create what he claimed would be "heaven on Earth" in rural Northamptonshire. Stanton established the Jesus Fellowship Church – better known as the Jesus Army – which grew from a small congregation at Bugbrooke Baptist Church into a nationwide movement with thousands of followers. Read more on cults 'DEEPLY DECIEVED' Sex cult brainwashed me into being a 'bride' for a rapist The bearded, authoritarian leader demanded total obedience from his flock. Members lived in communal houses, surrendered their savings to the group, and followed his increasingly bizarre rules about everything from diet to relationships. His preaching became increasingly focused on sexual "purity," with shocking footage from a 1993 documentary showing him urging followers to give their "genitals to Jesus". This obsession with controlling members' sexuality would later become central to many abuse allegations. How did the Jesus Army founder die? Noel Stanton died on May 20, 2009, aged 82, after leading his controversial religious movement for nearly four decades. Despite building what appeared to be a thriving Christian community with its distinctive fleet of colourful Jesus Army buses and evangelistic street outreach, Stanton's final years were marked by increasing scrutiny of his leadership methods. Watch moment rape cult leader who told followers he was an alien called Great Shaman is arrested in Argentina By the time of his death, cracks were already appearing in the movement he'd created, though the full extent of the abuse within the Jesus Army wouldn't become public knowledge until years later. Stanton was buried at the fellowship's New Creation Farm in Nether Heyford, a sprawling community site that had been purchased with money donated by his followers. Inside the controversial cult While presenting itself as a legitimate Christian church, the Jesus Army operated with all the classic hallmarks of a cult. Members were encouraged to cut ties with family and friends outside the group. Those living in communal "community houses" had to follow strict rules about everything from clothing to personal relationships. The group's radical "kingdom theology" taught followers that Stanton had special authority from God. This created an environment where questioning the leader was seen as questioning God himself. Ex-members describe an atmosphere of intense control, with decisions about jobs, marriages and even what clothes to wear dictated by "elders" appointed by Stanton. The Jesus Army became known for its distinctive evangelism style, with members in brightly coloured jackets approaching strangers in town centres, offering hugs and inviting them to join community life. What appeared to outsiders as a quirky but harmless Christian group was, behind closed doors, implementing practices that damaged hundreds of lives. 3 Aerial view of Sheepfold Grange, Northampton, Jesus Army Credit: Google Shock abuse claims Following Stanton's death, horrifying accounts of systematic physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse began to emerge from former members. Children as young as two were routinely "disciplined" with birch canes in a practice known as "rodding", causing physical and psychological trauma that survivors still deal with today. The group conducted terrifying "exorcisms" on members thought to be possessed by demons, with some subjected to hours of shouting, physical restraint and psychological abuse under the guise of spiritual cleansing. There were also several unexplained deaths within the community that former members claim weren't properly investigated at the time. Perhaps most disturbing were the widespread sexual abuse allegations. Multiple members, many of whom were children when the abuse occurred, have since come forward with accounts of sexual assault perpetrated by senior figures within the organisation. The cult's strict sexual teachings, which demanded celibacy from single members while simultaneously creating an environment where authority figures had unchecked power, created perfect conditions for predators. 3 The Jesus Army commune in Northampton was the site of many abuses Credit: Jesus Fellowship Central Offices/Youtube The Redress Scheme The scale of abuse was so extensive that, following the official disbanding of the Jesus Army in 2019, the Jesus Fellowship Community Trust established a Redress Scheme to compensate victims. The scheme identified numerous abusers within the organisation, with victims ranging from young children to vulnerable adults who had been drawn into the community. By November 2021, when the scheme closed, hundreds of former members had come forward with claims of serious abuse suffered during their time in the Jesus Army. Former members continue to speak out about their experiences, with many featured in the powerful new BBC documentary "Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army," which exposes the shocking truth behind what once appeared to be just an eccentric Christian group. The Jesus Fellowship Community Trust has acknowledged that "serious harm" was caused to many former members, particularly children, and has apologised for the "pain and suffering" experienced by those who lived under Stanton's leadership. What began as a dream of Christian community ended as a nightmare for hundreds of victims – a stark reminder of how easily religious devotion can be twisted into control and abuse when placed in the wrong hands.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Horror of British Christian cult where 'domineering' leader obsessively preached celibacy - but he and other 'elders' sexually abused dozens for decades
Its motto was 'Love, Power & Sacrifice'. Led by the celibacy-obsessed preacher Noel Stanton, the Jesus Army espoused what to its pious members seemed like noble aims. But, as a new two-part BBC documentary reveals, the radical Christian sect that grew to have more than 2,500 followers was far from holy. Over decades, so-called 'elders' abused dozens of defenceless children who grew up in the cult. Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army reveals how Stanton himself, who died in 2009, was an alleged abuser of young boys. In rapturous meetings held in halls around the country, he told his followers that they had to '100 per cent' belong to Jesus. And one of Stanton's biggest bugbears was - ironically as it later turned out - sex. In one bizarre talk given to hundreds of attendees, he decreed: 'Surrender the middle part of you. Many of us here will have to accept that an awful power of sin lurked there. But now, we give our genitals to Jesus.' Stanton himself, who died in 2009, was an alleged abuser of young boys. In rapturous meetings held in halls around the country, he told his followers that they had to '100 per cent' belong to Jesus No music, TV or holidays: Some of he rules imposed by 'dominating' leader of Jesus cult A typed list of rules laid down by Stanton is revealed in the BBC documentary. It reads: We do not listen to secular music, watch secular TV / video or read secular books. We only listen to Christian music, watch Christian videos and read Christian literature recommended by the Church. All tape recorders, Walkmen, video players, etc are kept under central household Church control. We do not have TV's [sic], radios, stereos or CD players in our houses or vehicles. We do not use telephone services to listen to music, sport reports or any other entertainment services. We do not go to cinemas, theatres, sporting events, concerts or other places of entertainment. We do not visit public houses or clubs except for evangelistic purposes. We neither hold nor attend parties, barbeques, buffets, etc except for evangelistic purposes. We do not go swimming for exercise or pleasure, neither do we sunbathe. We do not go on holidays, nor on recreational outings to seaside resorts, zoos, museums etc. Men, women and children who lived in properties owned by the church had to follow strict rules. They included bans on 'secular' music, TV, and films, visiting the cinema or theatre and even going swimming. The BBC documentary features testimony from abuse victims and others who left the cult - which was also known as the Jesus Fellowship Church - after their claims of having witnessed wrongdoing were ignored. One survivor, Sarah, was abused within a year of moving into the church's community. She says: 'At the time I was quite childlike, and emotionally I was probably looking for this father figure. 'He was so obvious about what was going on. Like he would put his hand on my thigh under the table, whilst his wife was opposite. He would intimidate you, and he would belittle you. 'And who is going to believe you if you say it? You know, this is a person of authority. 'He just shut me down and shut me down, until I felt like it was my fault.' Stanton, who had previously been a Baptist preacher, founded the Jesus Fellowship in the village of Bugbrooke in 1969 after undergoing a spiritual experience that one church member described as being 'visited by God'. Meetings quickly attracted attention for being raucous affairs, with attendees speaking 'in tongues' and watching on as Stanton performed immersion baptisms. In the mid 1970s, church members sold their homes and then pooled their wealth to buy up properties in Bugbrooke. At its heart was a rectory that was renamed New Creation Hall. Another church hub was a farmhouse called New Creation Farm. Stanton said in 1973: 'We always had a fairly substantial congregation and on Sunday evenings we might have as many as 50 people here. 'But four years ago there came a tremendous change. I had been baptised in water, of course, but suddenly I felt I was being baptised - really baptised - in the spirit. 'Some members of my congregation completely shared this wonderful experience. 'We realised that so much of the Christian faith was traditional and respectable but it was missing "life."' Another abuse victim, Abigail, recalls being sexually assaulted when she was 14. 'One of the things he used to say was, if he didn't ejaculate, it's not rape. 'And that was, obviously a very hard thing to hear. She adds: 'It kind of got spread what had happened to some of the leaders in the church. 'And you kind of hoped there would be this like kind of welcoming arms and kind of like, "oh my god that's really awful". 'But instead you're kind of met with, "isn't she a Jezebel". By 1984, the Jesus Fellowship was the UK's largest residential Christian community. There were 600 members living across the Midlands. The group had a builder's merchants, plumbing and decorating business and even a doctors' surgery. In 1986, the Baptists Union and Evangelical Alliance - two national church bodies - expelled the Jesus Fellowship from their organisations over concerns about their unusual practices. But Stanton and his fellow leaders were not deterred by the move. They launched the Jesus Fellowship in 1987. At its peak in the early 2000s, the church had grown to have nearly 3,000 members. Another clip in the upcoming documentary shows Stanton telling another meeting: 'We are looking for a new Britain, a new Britain morally. 'We live in a nation where, there's all sorts of sexual permissive problems and the like, every kind of moral problem.' Former member Philippa remembers witnessing her friend being abused at a church outpost called Battlecentre in Acton, West London. By 1984, the Jesus Fellowship was the UK's largest residential Christian community. There were 600 members living across the Midlands But when she reported what she had seen, she was branded a 'traitor'. She says: 'This elder, he didn't seem to mind that I was there. 'He would use me as lookout so I could warn him if anyone in the community house was coming into the room or passing by. 'He took her down into the cellar and he would touch her, try and hug her. I didn't actually try and watch, because I was supposed to be the lookout, but you can't help yourself but watch. 'We were 12 and 13 at the time. One day, my dad approached me and told me that my best friend had tried to commit suicide. 'I felt ashamed. I felt ashamed of what he had done to her, I felt ashamed I hadn't told anybody already. 'So the next day my dad arranged for me to tell the elder of our household. 'They would report back to Noel. Noel was just adamant I was a traitor and I was in collaboration with my best friend.' After Philippa went to the police, the abusive elder was found guilty of the indecent assault of a minor. He was sentenced to three months in prison. Philippa adds: 'I later found out, actually, that most of my peers had been abused. These people thought they were above the law.' Another survivor recalls the exorcisms that regularly took place. She says: 'Exorcisms were quite frequent. 'Noel was one of these people who would quite easily point out a demon in somebody. 'People would throw up, some people would convulse on the floor. 'You don't know what it is. And you are trying to rationalise it as a child.' Two church members were found dead in the 1970s. The first, 26-year-old solicitor's clerk David Hooper, was discovered lying naked in the garden of one of the church's properties in Bugbrooke on a freezing cold day in December 1976. He died from exposure. At an inquest into his death, the coroner said: 'He was found in circumstances which gave the impression of a man who had been sunbathing. This will always remain a mystery.' Eighteen months later, another church member was found dead on a railway track after having an argument with Stanton, who was unhappy that he had been enjoying reading. Children were regularly beaten - 'rodded' - if they were deemed to have been 'defiant'. Another former member, named as John, was ostracised when he chose to leave over his concerns about Stanton's level of control of the church. He says: 'Nobody was allowed to talk to me or have anything to do with me because I had become the enemy.' Abuse victim Noel, who was sexually assaulted by an elder, is seen telling police in a recorded interview: 'I remember him always asking me to sit on his lap. And I could feel he had an erection. He adds: 'He put his hand in my groin area. He would do it discreetly.' The man who abused him was given an 18-month suspended sentence. After Stanton's death, a leadership team that were called the Apostolic Five took over the running of the church. Northamptonshire Police launched a criminal investigation, named Operation Lifeboat, in 2014. However, only a handful of Jesus Army members were convicted, and just two went to jail. Former member Philippa adds: 'Basically it was a sweet shop for paedophiles.' Among alleged abusers who was named in a dossier was Stanton himself. Solicitor Kathleen Hallisey says: 'His kind of victim tended to be mid to late teens. He liked young boys. He sought out young boys and he abused them.' Overall, 33 allegations of abuse were made against Stanton. A compensation scheme for former members of the Jesus Fellowship was launched in 2022. More than 500 alleged perpetrators of physical, sexual and emotional abuse were identified. A statement from the now-defunct church that was given read: 'We continue to hold out an unreserved apology to anyone who has been affected by abuse and failings of any kind in the Jesus Fellowship. 'In 2013 we as the senior leadership of the church initiated a wide-ranging process that invited disclosures of any kind of abuse, both historic and recent, and referred all such reports to the authorities.'
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Pastor and wife took $3,400,000 from congregation in scam attributed to God
A pastor and his wife have been busted for a multi-million dollar cryptocurrency scam that they claim 'the Lord' instructed them to do. Eli and Kaitlyn Regalado, who founded the online-only Victorious Grace Church, were indicted by a Denver grand jury on Tuesday for the operation they ran taking advantage of their faith community from January 2022 to July 2023. The Regalados solicited nearly $3.4million from investors to buy INDXcoin, which they created and marketed, according to the Denver District Attorney's Office. They allegedly used their faith-based connections to find investors and promised them 'exorbitant returns', stated the office. In reality, just a small portion of the proceeds went to the business venture, according to the indictment. 'The Regalados spent at least $1.3 million on personal expenditures, including a home renovation that they have allegedly claimed 'the Lord' told them to do,' stated the office. Meanwhile, INDXcoin had no value and investors lost virtually every thing they put into it. The married couple have been indicted on 40 counts of securities fraud, racketeering and theft around the scam. 'These charges mark a major step forward in our work to hold the Regalados accountable for their alleged crimes and to bring a measure of justice to the victims,' stated District Attorney John Walsh. Walsh commended the 'outstanding work' of his investigators and prosecutors and officials from the Colorado Attorney General's Office and Colorado Division of Securities, that led to the indictment. Colorado Securities Commissioner Tung Chan's office in January had alleged that Eli 'took advantage of the trust and faith of his own Christian community and that he peddled outlandish promises of wealth to them when he sold them essentially worthless cryptocurrencies'. But the Regalados argued that INDXcoin was a 'utility coin' to join faith-based communities instead of a security, and for that reason did not need to be licensed or registered. Eli attacked Chan in a YouTube video posted on July 4, 2024. 'You are a liar, liar, liar. I hope you get back in the office after your holiday and you see this and you see what you've done,' said Regalado to Chan. 'Shame on you. You're a crook.' The pastor claimed that they tithed $290,000 to their church and also provided $245,000 to other churches. 'It's our church. Where else are we going to tithe?' Eli said. More Trending 'That's where God had us in our assignment.' The Regalados were expected to appear in court on Thursday. They were indicted two-and-a-half years after a south London preacher was found guilty of fraud after selling 'plague protection oil' as a fake cure for the coronavirus. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Father charged with murder after boy, 15, killed in e-bike crash in Middleton MORE: 'Ring of steel' around 4-star hotel in London after anti-migrant protests MORE: Uncle 'threw one-year-old niece down three-storey rubbish chute'
