Christian cult leader jailed for abusing women and feeding them ‘mummy milk’
A Christian psychotherapist has been jailed for four years over her “troubling” abuse of female patients.
Vanessa Clark, 63, admitted six counts of indecent assault which happened between 1996 and 2001, while Clark was practising as a psychotherapist
Oxford Crown Court heard that Clark, who had ties to a group described as a “cult”, took advantage of young women with depression and mental illness referred to her.
The court heard that Clark practised so-called ‘regression’ therapy, encouraging her clients to regress back to infancy and childhood to open up about underlying issues.
According to the Mirror, prosecutor Henry James told the court of one victim : “This amounted to an intense and personal series of sessions in which the victim was required to regress back to her childhood.
“Her hands and legs became fidgety and she was told that this was her body ‘trying to get mother to lactate’.
“Ms Clarke then asked her client, “Does baby want some milk?” She then guided her victim towards her breasts who took them into her mouth.’
The court heard that Clark also “massaged” a second woman to the point of becoming aroused – which she claimed the woman’s ‘inner baby’ needed.
In another session, after ‘regressing’ a victim back to infancy, Clark took off her top and said: ‘Have some mummy milk.’
Mr James added: “Ms Clark would then massage the woman’s foot before pushing her own foot into the victims groin. Clark would then press her own groin against the victim when she greeted her.”
Clark’s crimes only emerged when her female partner became concerned about her behaviour.
Judge Ian Pringle, sentencing her to four years in prison, said: “”However, in 1996 you encountered a lady who you began to have a sexual relationship with in the sense that during the course of sessions, for which she paid well, you began to breastfeed her.
“You exposed your breasts and asked her if she wanted “mummy’s milk.”
“These vulnerable victims of course went along with it. They deeply regret being manipulated by you in their vulnerable state.
“These offences were repetitive through the mid to late 90s.”
In addition to a four-year jail sentence, Clark was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
