Pair had babies with pastor

“Connie” believed Rev. Frank Seeko Lawrence was her “saviour,” who purged the evil spirits that afflicted her with an apparently incurable teenage sickness, court heard yesterday.

She described ritual baths costing $300 apiece — including one in which the blood of a sacrificed pigeon was poured over her face — that cured her painful migraine headaches and recurring vomiting.

Lawrence then rubbed ointment all over her naked body after a ritual bath in 1995.

Connie, 29, who believed in a mixture of black magic and Christian spirituality, was so impressed with Lawrence that in 2000 she recommended him to her acquaintance, “Ellie.”

Now both women, whose identities are under a publication ban, are accusing the pastor of exploiting his position as spiritual healer and church leader to have sex with them against their will, said Crown attorney Paul Zambonini in his opening to the jury.

Connie and Ellie had babies by the accused and there is no dispute over paternity, Zambonini said.

Court was told Ellie became pregnant on a fresh gravesite during a ritual for which she paid $1,000.

Lawrence, 59, an ordained minister for more than 30 years with no criminal record, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault, four counts of threatening and an assault charge.

Connie was 17 years old when her mother took her to see Lawrence 12 years ago after doctors couldn’t diagnose or cure her headaches and vomiting, court heard.

“She began to feel better … She believed that Rev. Lawrence had these healing powers,” said Zambonini, reading an outline of his case.

‘CRIED THROUGHOUT’

Seven years later, Connie, then 24, left her mother’s home after a fight.

The pastor initially “made excuses, saying he was looking out for her spiritual well-being when touching her, Zambonini said.

“But eventually, the sexual touching turned to intercourse and Connie cried throughout,” he said. “She believed the reverend had powers for good and power over evil spirits.”

When Connie told the minister she was carrying his baby, he denied paternity and later threatened to “make her his slave,” said Zambonini.

When Connie sought child support for her daughter in the fall of 2005, Zambonini said Lawrence threatened to kill her and the church treasurer.

Fearful of his spiritual powers, she went to Toronto Police, court heard.

Ellie turned to Lawrence for guidance in the spring of 2000 or 2001 when she went into a state of despair after learning that her son had been sexually abused, court heard.

Ellie also took a series of ritualistic baths and once paid $1,000 for the grave-site treatment. Lawrence “pushed her onto the ground and had sex with her,” said Zambonini. “Her son was conceived on that night.”

Although Ellie’s alleged incidents occurred first, she didn’t report them until after Connie came forward to the police in 2005, he said.

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