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Communist cult leader Aravindan Balakrishnan guilty of sex assaults Maoist cult leader Aravindan Balakrishnan guilty of sex assaults
(35 minutes later)
A Communist cult leader who ran a commune in south London has been found guilty of a string of sex assaults. A Maoist cult leader who used violence, fear and sexual degradation to control women he held captive has been found guilty of a string of sex assaults.
Aravindan Balakrishnan, 75, of Enfield, north London, raped two followers and falsely imprisoned and mistreated his daughter for more than 30 years. Aravindan Balakrishnan, 75, raped two followers and falsely imprisoned and mistreated his daughter for more than 30 years in a commune in South London.
Southwark Crown Court heard he carried out a "brutal" campaign of violence and "sexual degradation". Southwark Crown Court heard he carried out a "brutal" campaign of violence.
He was convicted of six counts of indecent assault, four counts of rape, two counts of actual bodily harm. He was convicted of six counts of indecent assault, four counts of rape and two counts of actual bodily harm.
The defendant, who was also found guilty of cruelty to a child under 16, had brainwashed his followers into thinking he had supernatural powers, the jury heard. Balakrishnan, of Enfield, north London - who was also found guilty of cruelty to a child under 16 - had brainwashed his followers into thinking he had supernatural powers, the jury heard.
Cult victims 'too frightened to leave'Cult victims 'too frightened to leave'
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Following the verdict, Judge Deborah Taylor told Balakrishnan he faced a "substantial custodial sentence".Following the verdict, Judge Deborah Taylor told Balakrishnan he faced a "substantial custodial sentence".
One of the defendant's former followers, Josephine Herivel, who was present in court shouted after the verdict: "You are sending an innocent man to prison. Shame on you." Following the conviction Balakrishnan's daughter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was "overwhelmed with relief".
She added: "I believe justice has definitely been done.
"I am very happy with the result and, at the end of the day, he is still my dad."
Det Sgt Paul Wiggett said the cult leader's daughter was scared of her father and that she "genuinely believed the day she left the house she was going to explode - that her life would come to an end".
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The woman was born to one of Balakrishnan's followers Sian Davies, who was known as Comrade Sian, but the then 13-year-old was unaware she was her mother.
Sian Davies suffered fatal injuries when she fell from a window at the cult's home on Christmas Eve in 1996.
Balakrishnan's daughter told the court she was beaten, banned from singing nursery rhymes, going to school or making friends.
Describing herself as a "caged bird", the woman escaped in 2013 at the age of 30 with the help of a charity.
After the verdict, one of the defendant's former followers, Josephine Herivel, who was present in court shouted: "You are sending an innocent man to prison. Shame on you."
Balakrishnan, who was originally arrested in November 2013, was cleared of one count of actual bodily harm and one count of indecent assault.Balakrishnan, who was originally arrested in November 2013, was cleared of one count of actual bodily harm and one count of indecent assault.
He is due to be sentenced on 29 January.He is due to be sentenced on 29 January.