Ms Waters said: "You knew, because of your position in the congregation, this could be swept under the carpet."
Oh, snap! The word is out!
Latest on UK Court Case - Unbelievable!
by skeeter1 31 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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punkofnice
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GoUnion
I hope this guy gets nailed. Ms. Waters will have a hard time proving that his position led to a cover up though. I'm not saying there wasn't one,(I don't know the details of this case) but it seems to be a theory that could be hard to prove in my opinion.
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St George of England
His wife was in the witness box today. She says he's innocent but the other things she says about him hardly paint him as a respectable elder.
George
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JWdaughter
I believe that earlier allegations (0r evidence) was that after some tried to get him DFd at his hall (where he was elder), they DID try to sweep it under the feet and the other parties brought it up to the BRANCH which investigated and then DFd him. The earlier testimony given was that the entire elder body was spiritually corrupt and morally bankrupt. At least two elders were told (Sewells father was an elder, too-)including the presiding and they were told that nothing more would come of it. So they told a travelling overseer who told the branch (so I guess they are good for something!).
I would say that Sewell did think his position would keep him out of trouble and he would have gotten away with it had his victims accepted what the congregation had ruled.
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problemaddict
Even in the photo.....I can tell this guy likes to massage half naked women. Just something about him.
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skeeter1
Monday's update! This time, molester's wife comes to the stand. Really unbeleivable dope of a wife!
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Wife defends Jehovah's Witness elder Mark Sewell accused of sexual assaults
Mary Sewell told Merthyr Crown Court that she didn't believe her husband Mark Sewell was guilty
The wife of a former Jehovah’s Witness elder accused of sex assaults told a jury that she was unconcerned at seeing a semi-naked teen lying on their bed.
Mary Elizabeth Sewell, speaking at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court yesterday, said the girl was lying face down, clothed from her bottom down but with her top half covered with a towel, for her husband Mark Sewell to massage her.
“It did not cause me any concern,” Mrs Sewell, a beautician, told the jury.
“I am quite aware that it happened. She was often massaged. She had shoulder and top of the neck problems and she used to ask him if he would massage her.”
She denied seeing her husband straddling the girl and said that her husband had an interest in massage and that her and her husband had performed massages on each other.
Between 1987 and 1995, her 53-year-old husband is alleged to have abused two young girls and raped a woman, all of whom were fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses. Sewell, of Porthkerry Road, Barry, denies nine counts of indecent assault and a single count of rape.
Judge Richard Twomlow earlier directed the jury to find him not guilty of two other counts of indecent assault, which he denied.
Mrs Sewell recounted to the jury the difficult periods of their 32-year marriage that had seen both cheat.
At times, when his depression kicked in and his drinking increased, she said: “It was very difficult to reason with him. He became emotional and angry and directed his frustration towards me.
“I could not really do right for doing wrong. It was like walking on eggshells. I learnt to leave him alone.”
She told the court that Sewell would often threaten to leave her but despite the difficulties they had stayed together.
The court heard that the couple had approached church elders about relationship difficulties.
There had also been disciplinary steps taken when allegations of sex abuse were made and in 1994 Sewell was “disfellowshipped”.
She described her husband as tactile, gregarious, outgoing and willing to help, and when asked by Sarah Waters, prosecuting: “You were desperate stay with him,” she replied: “I certainly was.”
Mr Waters added: “You can’t accept that your husband is capable of doing these things. You have come here to help him. He has controlled you throughout your marriage and his is doing it now.”
Mrs Sewell answered: “I don’t feel I am controlled and I don’t feel he is controlling. I don’t think he is guilty.”
The court had earlier heard claims that Sewell was a sexual predator who abused women and children for a decade, even making one woman pregnant, although she later lost the baby.
The trial was told that he would use his high position in the Jehovah’s Witness congregation to act in a sexually inappropriate manner with women, being touchy-feely and insisting that he kiss them on the lips.
The father-of-three admitted inviting women to sit on his lap or give him a kiss, but always in a “jocular” way.
The prosecution has claimed Sewell used his elder status to manipulate, intimidate and bully his victims.
The former Butlins holiday camp driver rejected suggestions his seniority meant allegations of child abuse would be “swept under the carpet”.
He also claimed that any massages that he did give was in the full knowledge of the girl’s parents and denied getting a sexual thrill from carrying them out.
(Proceeding)
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skeeter1
Jehovah's Witness elder 'motivated by sexual need' in kissing women and children, court
Businessman Mark Sewell, 53, denies nine historic sex charges against girls and women in a period spanning more than eight years.
A senior Jehovah's Witness was "motivated by sexual need" in kissing women and children on the lips to "push the boundaries", a court heard today.
Church elder Mark Sewell exploited his seniority and influence to abuse his alleged victims, it was claimed.
The businessman, 53, denies nine historic sex charges against girls and women in a period spanning more than eight years.
Judge Richard Twomlow today directed the guilty to find him not guilty of a count of indecent assault against a girl aged under 16, which he had denied.
The judge had previously also directed the jury to acquit him of two counts of indecent assault against the same girl when she was aged under 14, which he had also denied.
Prosecutor Sarah Waters today told Merthyr Crown Court in her closing speech there had been repeated "themes" in the evidence heard during the trial, including claims Sewell would kiss women and children on the lips.
She asked the jury to consider whether "this is somebody who is just a little bit over-affectionate" or instead a "pre-cursor to see if he can push the boundaries with them".
Such kissing was "the start of the grooming process" with the children is alleged to have abused, said Ms Waters.
She went on to tell the jury: "This is a man who is powerful and a man who isn't afraid of using his position of power.
"His position of power as an elder means he knows people will come and confide in him. People trust the elders, won't expect him to be doing anything like this, people will believe him over them."
She added: "We say that the themes demonstrate he was a man using that power to push the boundaries with these four women, motivated by sexual need, and he would satisfy that by taking it further on future occasions."
Jurors were told Sewell had denied six times during his police interview ever kissing the girls on the lips before accepting in his evidence to the court it was something he had done.
Ms Waters said there was "no room for confusion about what he was being asked" by detectives when he was questioned.
Ms Waters asked the four men and eight women of the jury to consider whether the four alleged victims in the case had any incentive to lie about their claims.
"The defendant is a very unfortunate man indeed if it's the case that four separate females have all decided to come to the police to give evidence about very personal matters and put themselves through the ordeal of being cross-examined about very personal matters to tell serious and malicious lies against this defendant," she said.
There was no "advantage" to any of the women in making up false claims, said Ms Waters.
She added: "What's the motive for all these four witnesses to lie?
"Have they all got together and collided in some horrible plan to get the defendant into trouble?
"The prosecution would say that just doesn't stand up."
Between 1987 and 1995 the former Butlins holiday camp driver is alleged to have abused two young girls and also raped a woman, all of whom were fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses within the Barry congregation where he also worshipped.
He is also accused of indecently assaulting another woman by rubbing his groin against her as she made a cup of tea.
The defendant, wearing a navy suit over a blue shirt and patterned tie, appeared stony-faced as he followed proceedings from the glass-fronted dock.
Marian Lewis, defending, said in her closing speech that witnesses had spoken of defendant was "honest, kind, trustworthy" and "a man who would go the extra mile for you".
She added: "He is a man who faces, perhaps, almost the most serious kind of criminal offence that a person can face under our criminal law."
Ms Lewis said each of the victims may have had a motive to fabricate allegations against Sewell.
Ms Lewis suggested the first victim may have made allegations in the early 1990s "to excuse her own teenage behaviour at the time".
She also told jurors the subject of a rape claim may have had an interest "in making up a story" because she was "rejected" by the defendant after a relationship between the pair ended, though the alleged victim denies the pair ever engaged in an affair.
Ms Lewis said Sewell "made no secret of the fact he was affectionate, made no secret of kissing people on the lips in front of others".
She added: "Kissing people on the lips is not a criminal offence. It's not indecent.
"Being flirtatious is not a criminal offence. It's not indecent.
"Not all flirtatious behaviour is sexual, is it, ladies and gentlemen?
"Being touchy-feely isn't criminal or necessarily sexual."
She told the jury they should have "grave concern about the quality, credibility, and reliability" of an "awful lot" of the prosecution's evidence against Sewell.
Sewell, of Porthkerry Road in Barry, denies eight counts of indecent assault and a single count of rape.
The case was later adjourned until tomorrow when the jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts.
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truthseekeriam
What a piece of work!! I hope he and his wife get what's coming to them. These women that stand by and watch their freak of a husband take advantage of young girls are just as sick as the freak!! Could you just imagine what their neighbors think??
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skeeter1
Most men have to buy sunglasses to look at other women on the beach. Sewell had his wife so trained, that he could bring teenaged girls into the bedroom, half naked, giving them upper body messages, kiss on them, and get them to sit in his lap. . . and the wife thinks that's innocent. Did he do this to 55 year old bags who might have needed a menopause message? N - o - p - e. Just sweet little young things. Batty sister!
Other news stories recount the rape and how he beat up his wife and tore apart their home on several occassions.
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ablebodiedman
"By their fruits you will know them."
abe