An evangelical pastor who spanked a female parishioner on her naked bottom was “helping her with her depression,” a jury has heard.

Howard Curtis, 73, former senior minister at Coulsdon Christian Fellowship (CCF), promoted a doctrine of “Christian domestic discipline” that encouraged women to “obey” their husbands, he told Croydon Crown Court.

The “spiritual” interpretation of the Bible included “hitting or tapping the vaginal area” of adult female members of the congregation and spanking them “completely naked”, a prosecutor said today.

But Mr Curtis, of Bloxworth Close, Wallington, claimed the women found the treatment “relaxing” and it made them feel “very free”.

EARLIER: 'Spanking' minister whispered 'I can turn you on' while giving parishioner neck massage, court hears

He denies five counts of sexually assaulting a female, six counts assaulting a child, two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and one count of assault of female over 13 by penetration during his time at the CCF between the early 1980s and July 2013.

Cross-examining Mr Curtis today, prosecutor Toby Fitzgerald said there was “no other Christian doctrine [that] requires or allows the pastor of a church to smack the bare bottoms of adult female members of its congregation”.

Mr Curtis agreed, but cited an interpretation of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in the New Testament as justification for the doctrine.

He added: “There are many things that the Bible doesn’t say that people will accept. It doesn’t have to say literally something for it to be a biblical act.

“Just because you and other people don’t think it’s right doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to believe it. Otherwise it’s against freedom of religion.

"It’s only when it’s against the law it becomes a problem.”

Mr Curtis accused Mr Fitzgerald of “putting the word 'obey' in such a negative way”, adding: “It’s a positive – the obedience is not to her detriment, it’s a blessing”.

EARLIER: Minister accused of spanking parishioners 'led church as a cult'

The pastor promoted the doctrine in his later years at the church. But he admitted that his wife had not agreed to it as part of their own marriage.

Asked about a parishioner he is alleged to have forced to submit to spanking, the former pastor said: “She had heard about it from the other ladies and wondered whether it would be helpful for her. I was approached.

“She wanted to experience to see if it helped her with her depression – which it actually did. The woman feels very relaxed and very free. It reduces the tension – I don’t really understand why but that’s what happens."

Mr Curtis seconded Mr Fitzgerald's account that he had asked the woman to “take her knickers down and bend over the stairs”.

But he denied smacking her up to 20 times, adding: “We had an agreement I would do it four times with the side of my hand.

“I believe it was spiritual, and I believe I was doing something that was helpful.”

Mr Curtis denied Mr Fitzgerald’s suggestion that he was in a “sexual frenzy” and accused the barrister of trying to “paint me as this ogre”.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “Nobody is suggesting you are an ogre. I’m simply suggesting you sexually assaulted these women.”

The trial continues.

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