A self-styled Buddhist guru who used his 'mystical' charms to rape and sexually assault women was jailed for ten years yesterday for a decade-long reign of terror.
Police fear Michael Lyons, 51, may have attacked hundreds more middle-class victims in Britain and America.
Lyons ran an international spiritual cult and his followers, some of whom believed he could cure cancer, funded his lavish lifestyle as well as introducing him to new potential followers.
In his flowing maroon robes, he adopted the name 'Mohan Singh'. But in reality, he was a 'sexual predator' who used female devotees to recruit his victims.
Lyons' group of slavish female followers treated him 'like a god'. He was driven around in luxury cars including Bentleys, Mercedes and vintage Rolls-Royces, and toured the world with trips to Miami, Washington DC, London, Paris, and India.
But yesterday he was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court, North London, for ten years for raping one woman and sexually attacking another.
He was cleared of two more rapes and one more sexual assault. The jury could not reach a decision on another rape and sexual assault.
Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Browne, QC, criticised his followers for their 'blind loyalty'.
He said: 'They well knew what was likely to happen to both victims before their sexual abuse.
'Women's groups everywhere will be shocked and appalled in the complicity in these two crimes of women close to you. It was complete betrayal by women to women.'
Police fear Michael Lyons, 51, may have attacked hundreds more middle-class victims in Britain and America.
Lyons ran an international spiritual cult and his followers, some of whom believed he could cure cancer, funded his lavish lifestyle as well as introducing him to new potential followers.
In his flowing maroon robes, he adopted the name 'Mohan Singh'. But in reality, he was a 'sexual predator' who used female devotees to recruit his victims.
Lyons' group of slavish female followers treated him 'like a god'. He was driven around in luxury cars including Bentleys, Mercedes and vintage Rolls-Royces, and toured the world with trips to Miami, Washington DC, London, Paris, and India.
But yesterday he was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court, North London, for ten years for raping one woman and sexually attacking another.
He was cleared of two more rapes and one more sexual assault. The jury could not reach a decision on another rape and sexual assault.
Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Browne, QC, criticised his followers for their 'blind loyalty'.
He said: 'They well knew what was likely to happen to both victims before their sexual abuse.
'Women's groups everywhere will be shocked and appalled in the complicity in these two crimes of women close to you. It was complete betrayal by women to women.'
He tried to kiss me... I was crying and pleading, 'Please no'
Now a 29-year-old language teacher, she fears she was raped by the 'spiritual leader' while drugged and helpless in the summer of 2000.
'There were about four other women in the car, and as Mohan was dressed in Tibetan robes, like a Buddhist, we felt safe. He gave us a lift as promised and we arranged to meet for tea later.'
The tea, at a cafe, was an innocent affair. 'They seemed kind-hearted and we talked about Tibetans, Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama at length,' says Skye, who was then working as an intern.
'Mohan even purported to be the Dalai Lama's osteopath. He said he could diagnose any ailments just by feeling my back and after pushing some of my lower vertebrae told me I suffered from lower back problems. I had seen multiple physicians that year so I was impressed.'
繼續閱讀: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1297818/Rapist-guru-Michael-Lyons-cast-spell-hundreds-terrified-young-women.html#comments#ixzz13Xbtuvnb
The tea, at a cafe, was an innocent affair. 'They seemed kind-hearted and we talked about Tibetans, Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama at length,' says Skye, who was then working as an intern.
'Mohan even purported to be the Dalai Lama's osteopath. He said he could diagnose any ailments just by feeling my back and after pushing some of my lower vertebrae told me I suffered from lower back problems. I had seen multiple physicians that year so I was impressed.'
繼續閱讀: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1297818/Rapist-guru-Michael-Lyons-cast-spell-hundreds-terrified-young-women.html#comments#ixzz13Xbtuvnb
Rapist 'guru' in a Bentley cast his spell on hundreds of terrified young women