CLIFFORD BRETT FROM NORTHAMPTON AND PRESTON SENTENCED FOR ABUSING YOUNG BOYS AT JESUS ARMY HOMES
In June 2016, a disturbing case emerged involving Clifford Brett, a man with ties to both Northampton and Preston, who was convicted of sexually abusing two young boys at communes operated by the Jesus Army, a well-known Christian organization.Brett, aged 66 and residing in Northampton at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of heinous acts committed at a Jesus Army residence in Preston, where he had been living as part of the religious community.
According to court proceedings, Brett targeted one of the boys while he was sleeping in his bed at the Preston house.
He also lured another boy into his bedroom under the false pretense of offering dried fruit, a tactic used to manipulate and gain the trust of his young victims.
Preston Crown Court heard that Brett, who had previously worked as a school caretaker and crossing patrol officer at Fulwood High School and Kennington County Primary School in Preston, had integrated himself into the community, earning the trust of fellow members.
However, beneath this facade, he engaged in predatory behavior.
The court detailed that Brett, while staying at the Preston residence, secretly entered a young boy’s bedroom and enticed him to his attic room.
There, he initiated conversations about sex and coerced the boy into engaging in sexual acts.
On another occasion, Brett promised a different boy dried fruit but insisted he come to his bedroom to retrieve it.
Once there, Brett groped the boy under the guise of picking up the fruit, an act of sexual assault that caused significant distress.
Judge Stuart Baker, presiding over the case, emphasized the breach of trust involved, stating, “You were part of the community.
Those children and their mothers were entitled to expect that anyone living in the house with them would not abuse them.” The judge highlighted that Brett’s actions were particularly egregious given his role within the community and the trust placed in him.
Throughout the 1990s, Brett moved between properties associated with the Jesus Army in Preston and Northampton.
Despite his employment as a school caretaker and crossing patrol officer, there was no evidence to suggest that his abuse occurred during his professional duties.
Last year, allegations surfaced that Brett had committed multiple rapes and sexual assaults on children within the Lancashire Jesus Army community, leading to his trial.
The victims, now in their twenties, appeared visibly distressed as they recounted the abuse they endured during their childhood.
While Brett was acquitted of 13 charges, including allegations involving two girls, he was convicted on three counts of indecency and indecent assault related to the two boys who had been living at the Preston home.
Judge Baker sentenced Brett to four years in prison for the abuse of the first boy and an additional 12 months for the attack on the second boy.
The judge underscored the severity of the crimes, noting that if he had been sentencing at the time of the offenses, Brett would have faced an immediate custodial sentence.
Both boys were still in primary school when targeted.
Following his conviction, Brett, who currently resides in supported accommodation on Louise Street in Northampton, was placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Additionally, he was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order designed to safeguard other children from potential harm, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
