I’m Malcolm Johnson, head of the Abuse Compensation Department at Lime Solicitors.
We handle a wide variety of abuse claims, which include claims based on human rights, data protection breaches and Protection from Harassment. Most of our clients were abused in childhood, but last year, I successfully represented an adult client at trial in a domestic abuse case, in which we had pleaded both common law assault and statutory harassment.
In 2024, I concluded around 150 claims brought against the Jesus Fellowship Church, otherwise known as the Jesus Army. I also appeared in the BBC documentary, “Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army” which was broadcast in July of this year. Many of the claims that my firm handled were around spiritual or emotional abuse, for instance the use of exorcism on certain individuals. The Redress Scheme set up by the Church was prepared to compensate these claims, where a case could be made that an individual had been targeted in some way by Church elders. We had some success here. I see that the Church of England’s forthcoming Redress Scheme specifically covers spiritual abuse, which reflects (whatever the many other flaws in that Scheme) an acceptance of how damaging spiritual abuse can be.
What struck me about the Jesus Army was the way in which it emotionally abused both children and adults into obedience, regardless of their vulnerability. There was nothing Christian about a doctrine that rested on the twin pillars of misogyny and hypocrisy. There were numerous stories from my clients as to how the Church had worked hard to cover up abuse and side with the perpetrators.
I continue to work closely with various advocacy organisations, which represent children in care and care leavers, as well as other charities that work on behalf of vulnerable people. Each year, we provide a seminar programme on the latest legal developments and a monthly surgery. I’m looking forward to presenting a seminar in November of this year on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
For more information about me see this link