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Paedophile sex cult leader ‘may never be released’

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Friday March 11, 2011

Members of a black magic sex cult which preyed on children and young adults in Carmarthenshire, Wales, have been given a total of 36 years imprisonment today at Swansea Crown Court, Wales Online reports:

Colin Batley, 48, was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection with a minimum of 11 years before he can apply for parole, but Judge Paul Thomas QC warned be may never be released.
Jackie Marling, 42, described as Batley’s second-in-command, was sentenced to 12 years, Batley’s wife Elaine, 47, got eight years and 35-year-old Shelly Millar got five years.
The women, who all wore Egyptian Eye of Horus tattoos to signify membership of the cult based at their homes in Clos yr Onnen, Kidwelly, were convicted of sexual offences including abuse of children.
Colin Batley was convicted of offences including 11 counts of rape and other sexual offences involving children.

Batley presided over a quasi-religious sex cult that preyed on vulnerable youngsters, forced women into prostitution and indulged in occult rites, the Guardian explains:

Batley was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection with a recommendation that he spend at least 11 years in jail. Sentencing him at Swansea crown court, Judge Paul Thomas QC told him: “You may never be released.” [...]
The cult is said to have been inspired by Aleister Crowley, the late mystic and magician nicknamed the Great Beast who in 1904 published a text called the Book of the Law extolling permissive sex.
During the five-week trial the prosecution claimed “the book” formed the basis for Batley’s organisation and he would read from a laminated copy of it while dressed in hooded robes at the start of orgies.
Batley insisted that no cult existed but the jury found him guilty of 35 offences including 11 rapes, three indecent assaults, causing prostitution for personal gain, causing a child to have sex and inciting a child to have sex.

Judge Thomas told Batley he had used the occult to manipulate and control his victims, writes the Daily Mail:

The judge also highlighted how Batley took pleasure in forcing women into prostitution, taking a 25 per cent cut of their earnings.
Several victims were sent to Bristol to sell themselves for cash but were required to tell Batley details of what they did to earn it.
‘You revelled in being provided with the salacious details of what they had to do to earn you money,’ Mr Thomas told Batley.
The judge also noted the way that Batley sat back and ‘smirked from the dock’ as he listened to evidence during the five-week trial. [...]
Batley was said today to have been active as a molester and rapist of children and young people for more than three decades.
Passing sentence today, the judge made it clear that he would only be eligible to seek parole once it was determined he no longer represented a danger to the public.
A major part of that process is to admit his guilt, something he vehemently denied throughout the trial.