Latest news with #sexual assault


Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Is this why Tatler 'It Girl' turned baby killer Constance Marten's life spun out of control? The months she spent living with an African church - where nudity was enforced and the pastor accused of multiple rapes
Lagos is a long way from the aristocratic world in which Constance Marten grew up – both geographically and culturally. And yet it's the months she spent in the bustling Nigerian capital that many believe hold the key to understanding how this privileged young woman's life spiralled so disastrously out of control. Turn the clock back to 2006, and the then teenage Marten found herself living in a 12-storey compound in Africa's biggest city. It was home to a religious group ruled by evangelical pastor Temitope Balogun 'TB' Joshua – known to followers as 'The Prophet'. Ten years ago, allegations emerged against Joshua and his Synagogue Church of All Nations, known as SCOAN. Since his death in June 2021 aged 57, they have multiplied. Along with accusations of psychological torture and physical abuse, a number of former female 'disciples' have claimed he repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped them – forcing some to have abortions. As the Mail reveals today, Marten went there with her mother, Virginie de Selliers, shortly after leaving her £30,000-a-year public school. 'It was made very clear that Constance was being brought to get help – help in the sense that she was rebellious, strong-willed, disobedient,' said a former British member of the church who was present throughout Marten's stay in Nigeria. Precisely what happened while the 19-year-old was there is unclear. But there's no doubt it affected her deeply. Indeed, she would later say that the experience left her character 'completely broken apart'. 'Constance was very, very badly traumatised by the whole thing,' a family friend said. 'Everyone talks about two Constances – the person she was before she went to Nigeria and the person who came home. She was profoundly and fundamentally changed.' Another said: 'Put it this way – TB Joshua ruined her life.' Marten's link to the pastor was revealed by her father during the seven-week manhunt for her and Mark Gordon. Napier Marten said her time at SCOAN appeared to be the 'trigger' for much of the 'harm' she had suffered in recent years, 'setting up a pattern of behaviour exposing her to easy manipulation'. The manipulator, according to those close to the family, was Gordon, with whom she had entered an abusive relationship. Giving evidence, Marten claimed that while their time together had its ups and downs, she regarded him as her 'soulmate'. While living as a disciple at the church, Marten would have referred to Joshua as 'Daddy'. During the court case, it emerged that her nickname for Gordon was 'Daddy bear'. A coincidence, maybe, but as her fellow former disciple says: 'It is just the classic pattern for people in cults to find themselves going into really negative situations where they have an absolute loyalty to their partner and end up in an abusive relationship.' So how on earth did the former Tatler 'It' girl find herself caught in the web of charlatan TB Joshua? For a special episode of the Mail's award-winning The Trial podcast breaking down the Constance Marten verdict, click here Joshua, a former poultry farm worker turned pastor, founded SCOAN after claiming God had called him to serve during a three-day trance. By 2000, he had established himself as a popular figure among evangelical Christians worldwide. As well as the 50,000 people who attended his services every week, he went on to run a successful social media network, with millions of viewers on his YouTube channel. His speciality was 'healing' people – anything and everything from cancer to Aids to blindness. Congregants awed by videos of Joshua's supposed miracles made evangelical churches in Britain fertile recruiting grounds for SCOAN. Marten and her mother were among them. Described as a devout Christian, Mrs de Selliers had raised her daughter and three sons ever since her husband had left his family. When not at boarding school, Marten lived with her mother, who became involved with Holy Trinity Brompton, one of Britain's most high-profile evangelical churches. Her daughter attended the church with her from about 2006, as well as its religious summer camps. While it had no formal links with Holy Trinity, SCOAN relied on foreign support for a steady stream of disciples and financial aid. At the time, Fiona and Gary Tonge were key British followers of TB Joshua and Mrs Tonge recruited British supporters. A number of those recruited in 2006 are said to have been worshippers at Holy Trinity. The Tonges and Holy Trinity were approached for comment but declined to respond. 'Fiona was keen to get people to go from there to Lagos,' said the source. 'These were called "visits" and were basically pilgrimages for a week at a time. 'I can remember very specifically the time she came with Constance. They stood out like a sore thumb, these really upper-class, white British people. We were told to take extra care of them. And Virginie was quite a presence.' But while Marten's mother returned home at the end of the visit, Constance stayed on for three months. 'As soon as Constance arrived she started appearing as a visitor inside Joshua's office,' the source said. 'Joshua definitely wanted to recruit her as a disciple from the moment she arrived. She was taken to see him, which are things your average visitor would not get to do.' One of Joshua's key lieutenants, Bisola Johnson – who would later blow the whistle on the pastor's campaign of abuse – also remembers Marten being brought there by Mrs Tonge. Speaking from her home in Nigeria, she said Joshua 'used the white people to market his brand'. The former disciple recalled that Marten struggled to accept the lifestyle, adding: 'She had an independent mind and that didn't go down well... it took quite a lot of suppression to make her conform,' the source said. Marten would have stayed in an all-female dormitory of up to 100 women, according to the source's experience. Nudity was commonplace. 'If you were going to shower or get changed, you were not permitted to cover up or use a towel for discretion,' said the source. 'You would be reported to Joshua publicly in a disciple meeting if you tried to "hide" your body. So people were literally forced to walk around naked in the room. For many of us, this was an uncomfortable experience.' Sleep was also restricted to no more than four hours a night. 'She would definitely have undergone sleep deprivation,' the source added. 'If you were found sleeping without permission, you would be punished.' Any transgressions would be reported by other disciples to TB Joshua for public correction in front of 200 fellow disciples. 'Those corrections were normally quite hard,' said the source. 'They would be embarrassing and crush you inside. And that was the normal life of a disciple – it was literally the tearing down of the person and who they were, to get them to a point of utter submission to TB Joshua.' Ms Johnson has described her own role in the church, of which she was a member for 14 years until 2008, as effectively 'a spy' and 'a pimp' for Joshua. Many white girls were the target of his depraved desires, she said. During her time in Lagos, it is claimed Marten was allowed to return home on one occasion, accompanied by a female chaperone from the church. On their return to Nigeria, the chaperone told the other disciples of the Marten family's obvious wealth – including a visit to their 'country cottage' which turned out to be more like a stately home. 'She said it was like being in a Jane Austen novel,' the source recalled. The reasons for Marten's departure from SCOAN are unclear. Some disciples stayed for more than a decade. Marten would later tell Matthew McNaught, an author who helped expose the sex crimes of TB Joshua in an online blog, that she had effectively been asked to leave the church. 'I believe she had left because she had upset TB Joshua in some way,' Mr McNaught said. 'She was essentially kicked out, or not re-invited. In a funny way, it's harder for those who are in this situation. You've still totally bought into that idea of TB Joshua as a man of God and there was some kind of vision for your life, but you have just failed the mission.' Upon returning to the UK, it was apparent to those who knew Marten that she had been badly affected by the experience. A friend said: 'She always used to be wild, but also happy, kind and buoyant. She was darker when she came back and she found things more difficult.' Marten herself was moved to comment on a blog written by another ex-disciple in 2013: 'The outcome of being involved in a cult has huge effects on a person when they escape. Your character is completely broken apart, and it is difficult to explain to others.' Marten returned gradually to normal life in the years that followed, attending university and training to be a journalist. She came to speak to Mr McNaught in 2013 after reading his blog. The pair had a long telephone call in which she unburdened herself about her time there. Her said: 'She said after she left, she was struggling for a long time and she was keen to reconnect with some people that had been through similar experiences.' It was around this time that Marten considered trying to expose Joshua's crimes herself. She pitched an idea for a documentary to Al Jazeera, where she was working as a researcher. Ms Johnson was among those who Marten asked to help with the documentary, saying she wanted to go undercover and covertly film the church from inside. But Ms Johnson and others warned Marten against the plan. 'I really feared for her,' she said. 'I told her it will be a very dangerous mission, because TB Joshua would do anything he can to protect his name.' Joe Hurst, another ex-disciple, also advised Marten not to proceed with the investigation. But she told Mr Hurst about other strange happenings in her life, such as experiencing 'paranormal activity', which, after a while, got 'out of control' and were 'quite scary'. 'She said it culminated when she was in Starbucks and she collapsed and was just laughing on the floor,' he told the Independent. 'She knew it was a problem, and she was really scared, so she told some church people to pray for her and it stopped after that.' In the end, the documentary on SCOAN was never made. And yet, according to those who know Marten, the scars inflicted by her time there never truly healed – and would be reopened by that chance meeting with Gordon. Soon after, she cut off contact with her friends and family. Having learned about his criminal past, friends and family became deeply worried about what they believed was a controlling and coercive relationship. It is a point echoed by the former church member. 'She has just gone from one coercive situation to another,' said the source. 'This is what happens when someone doesn't get the help they need. It could have been prevented. It is deeply sad.' While Mrs de Selliers declined to comment on her or her daughter's involvement with SCOAN, sources say she had become concerned about her daughter during her time there and was involved in ensuring she came home. A spokesman for SCOAN said: 'We do not know of nor are affiliated with Constance Marten and are unaware of any connection she may have to the Synagogue Church of All Nations. 'All previous allegations against the Synagogue Church of all Nations and TB Joshua are inherently false and deeply troubling. 'We remain steadfast that the ethical and moral values TB Joshua and the church stand for are of the utmost importance and there is no merit behind these claims.' For a special episode of the Mail's award-winning The Trial series breaking down the Constance Marten verdict, search for 'The Trial of Constance Marten & Mark Gordon' now, wherever you get your podcasts.


CTV News
10-07-2025
- CTV News
Ottawa man arrested in Barrie on child exploitation charges
A 34-year-old man from Ottawa is headed back to the nation's capital after being arrested in Barrie in connection with an internet child exploitation investigation. On Thursday, members of the Barrie Police Service Internet Child Exploitation Unit worked with the Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit to execute a search warrant at a Barrie residence. Several computer devices were seized as a result of the investigation for forensic analysis. The accused faces several criminal offences, including sexual assault, making child pornography, and making sexually explicit material available to a child. He will await a bail hearing in Ottawa.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former NCT Member Taeil Sentenced After Being Found Guilty of Rape
Taeil, the singer who previously performed in the K-pop group NCT and its sub-units NCT U and NCT 127, has been found guilty of rape in Seoul, South Korea. The 31-year-old has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for sexually assaulting an intoxicated tourist in June 2024 with two other men, according to The Korea Times. Taeil, born Moon Tae-il, was removed from the group in August 2024 after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced. 'We have recently confirmed that Taeil has been implicated in a criminal case related to sexual crimes,' SM Entertainment said at the time. 'While looking into the situation, we recognized that the issue is very serious, and we have decided that Taeil could no longer continue team activities.' More from Rolling Stone Liver King Charged Over Alleged 'Terroristic Threat' Against Joe Rogan Sean Combs Case Expected to Go to Jury This Week Taylor Swift Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against Alleged Stalker The label shared that Taeil would be 'faithfully cooperating with the police investigation' and apolgized 'for the controversy caused by our artist.' Per BBC, investigations revealed that Taeil and the two other men, Lee and Hong, encountered their victim at a bar in Seoul. Reports note that she became 'heavily intoxicated' and traveled with them to Lee's home, where she was then assaulted while unconscious in what South Korean law describes as a 'quasi rape.' They each pleaded guilty in June. Taeil and the two men were all given the same sentence and have already been taken into custody. According to BBC, prosecutors suggested they receive a seven-year sentence. The judge presiding over the case granted them half the time on the basis of them being first offenders. Additionally, they will be required to completed 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. NCT has not released new music since removing Taeil. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked


Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Shocking downfall of cop once hailed as pillar of community who cost small California town millions
The criminal actions of a California cop has cost a small-town millions after a shocking series of events involving sex assaults, burglary and meth. Former Sergeant Kevin Murray disgraced the Ukiah Police Department in Mendocino County following a slew of disturbing charges that ended in a light sentence costing the town a $3million settlement. The department's budget for fiscal year 2025 is just over $10million, meaning Murray cost the city nearly a third of its annual police funding. After multiple felony sexual assault charges, Murray was sentenced to just two years probation and 250 hours of community service. The former cop took a plea deal that dismissed the charges, and allowed him to dodge a public trial. Murray was also not required to become a registered sex offender, but simply to provide a DNA sample to the state and participate in a three-year Sex Offenders and Families in Effective Recovery program for at least one year. His arrest followed allegations ranging from breaking into a woman's hotel room for sex, storing methamphetamine in his department-issued locker, to brandishing his service weapon while sexually assaulting a woman. Murray's first serious case began in 2018 when he allegedly forced his way into the home of a disabled Gulf War veteran without a warrant and beat him unconscious. The city of Ukiah paid the veteran $1.05million to settle the claims, SF Gate reported. In January 2021, Murray faced another set of charges including burglary, meth possession and sexual battery, following a night at the Super 8 Motel in Ukiah. In court documents obtained by the outlet, Murray allegedly turned off his body camera, drove the victim's car with her inside and asked her to kiss him on the neck. He allegedly went into her room, uninvited, and took her key card announcing he would return after his shift. Murray then allegedly texted her asking if they could 'hook up tonight' and asked her for 'good pics' to know if 'the good[s] are worth coming back for'. The woman claimed she had never given Murray her phone number, and authorities discovered he used a spoofed caller ID to hide his identity. She became so terrified that she barricaded the door with a table. The woman received a $250,000 civil settlement from the city. One month later, he faced another criminal charge for an alleged 2014 off-duty rape. He was initially charged with forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, and an allegation of sexual assault armed with an assault weapon was later added. In the complaint filed by Johnson in December 2022 against Murray and the city of Ukiah, Murray was accused of being armed with a knife and a handgun. The court ruled that the city wasn't liable, but Murray failed to respond to the civil suit and was served with a $1million default judgement, SF Gate reported. In 2021, he was served another suit from a former Ukiah officer accusing him of sexual assault during a 2013 training trip. The female officer said the police department retaliated when she spoke up, isolating her and cutting pay. In January 2025, the city paid a $1.75million settlement. The police department had previously sang Murray's praises. On April 8, 2020, the department posted on its Facebook page:' Join us as we celebrate Officer Kevin Murray's promotion to Sergeant! 'Sergeant Murray joined the City of Ukiah Police Department in December 2008. Over the course of his law enforcement career, Sergeant Murray has worked several special assignments including Field Training Officer and K9 handler with his partner Thor. 'Sergeant Murray is also a veteran who served for the U.S. Army. Over the course of his six year military career, Sergeant Murray was deployed once to Afghanistan, twice to Iraq & was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. 'Before today's promotion, Sergeant Murray has been supervising his shift as a watch commander for the past 6 1/2 months due to staffing shortages. 'Sergeant Murray's work ethic and dedication to serve our community is commendable & we're thrilled to announce his promotion.' It was Murray's light sentencing that shocked the city and had many questioning the justice system. Trent James, who served as a deputy for the Mendocino Sheriff's Office and a canine officer with the Willits Police Department, said in a letter to the Mendocino Voice that dirty cops get 'extreme leeway and special treatment'. 'Murray's sentencing sends a very clear message to not only the citizens of Mendocino County, but also current law enforcement, that this type of behavior is okay,' James wrote. 'With this "slap on the wrist" punishment for extremely egregious crimes there is very little, if any, deterrence from others committing the same crimes.' The Sonoma County Probation Department reviewed Murray's case before he was served his sentence, and recommended two years probation with a suspended prison term and a one-year jail sentence. Sonoma County Probation Officer Spencer Misetich described Murray's actions as 'abhorrent', slamming his behavior as exhibiting 'criminal sophistication'. However, because 'no factors in aggravation were found true or admitted by the defendant as part of his plea agreement in this matter... the court is essentially limited to imposing the middle term of imprisonment, which is what we would recommend'. '...We do feel the defendant's abhorrent actions in this matter deserves further jail time in addition to the time he has already served,' the report said, SF Gate reported. Murray was handed the two year probation sentence with no additional jail time. His light sentencing and 'abhorrent' actions led to severe mistrust within the police department, as police Chief Thomas Corning was sworn in just one month ago. Corning is the third to take the position since Murray's misconduct. Noble Waidelich took the position nine months after Murray was charged, but was forced out after allegedly coercing a woman into sex while on duty in uniform. As Corning assumes the position, the told the outlet: 'The policy used to state that guys were, you know, basically recommended to turn on their body cams during citizen contacts. 'We changed it to where they are mandated on every citizen contact to turn on the camera.' But Corning is aware of the stain that Murray left on the Ukiah Police Department's reputation. 'You just constantly keep hearing about this guy,' he said. 'It can weigh on you.' 'When you care about a department this much, you know how much good we have - and how much good we do,' he continued. Corning is determined to prove that the previous scandals are not a testament to their current workforce. 'We've really made a very strong effort to hold people accountable, to try to be transparent with the community,' he said, but recognized that 'all it takes is one or two guys to ruin the reputation with the community'.