THE trial of Chris Brain continued this week, when the founder of the Nine O’Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield gave evidence at Inner London Crown Court in south London.

Mr Brain, 68, now of Park Road, Wilmslow, in Cheshire, is being tried on 36 charges of indecent assault and one of rape, involving 13 women. He denies all the charges.

Much of the questioning on Monday and Tuesday focused on Mr Brain’s relationships with female church members, some of whom were part of a “homebase team” of women who looked after him and his family.

The women wore tight clothing and lingerie while doing their duties, the court heard, and were referred to as “the Lycra lovelies” and “Lycra nuns”.

Asked about their attire, Mr Brain said “I wasn’t prescribing what to wear, it was completely normal for that era and that place,” according to a report in The Times.

The court heard that the women would give him massages, and the prosecution argued that these would often end in unsolicited groping, the Telegraph reported.

The massages were intended to relieve tension headaches, Mr Brain said. He denied any non-consensual sexual contact.

“With some of my closest friends it would be kissing sometimes, occasionally massaging, stroking. Anything more than that we would back off,” he said

Mr Brain characterised the lifestyle as less like a church and “more like a group of musicians living together”, saying that it was a “free, open, really caring, very fun environment”.

He admitted having sex with one of the complainants, but said that it had been consensual.

The trial continues.