A church minister used the Bible to justify spanking vulnerable women on their bare bottoms to satisfy his own sexual desires, a court heard today

Howard Curtis, 72, former senior minister of the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship, south London, allegedly ran a "cult" where grown women were persuaded to strip naked so he could spank them over his knee for his own pleasure.

Married Curtis and his "inner circle" used "unorthodox" teachings to instill discipline and drive out evil spirits in both women and children who had come to him for help, it is said.

His abuse of their trust continued as he moved "from one woman to another" and his confidence grew, Croydon Crown Court heard.

Curtis, who left his role as a senior minister at the independent Baptist church in June 2013, is faces 12 charges involving seven victims.

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The former leader of the church, a role he left in May 2012, is charged with five counts of cruelty to children under 16 years of age, two counts of indecent assault, and four of sexual assault.

Additionally he faces one count of assault by penetration, while the offences are said to have occurred between January 1969 and July 2013.

"He would put them over his knee and hit them hard until they cried and, in some cases, marks appeared." Jane Osborne, prosecuting