Brethren Exposed
Plymouth Brethren Crime
Brethren Criminality
Brethren Exposed investigates cases of criminality by members of the
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
Impersonating a Police Officer, killing and injuring passengers whilst driving under the influence, sexual abuse and animal cruelty are just some of the many crimes committed by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Brethren Exposed investigates criminality in the brethren.
Cases & Convictions
In September 2025 at Staines Magistrates Court, UK. A brethren member pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer and received a sentence that included a Curfew with electronic monitoring, rehabilitation activity, unpaid work and an Order was made to deprive the defendant of their rights to seize blue lights from a vehicle. We believe that the member was ex-communicated. This person worked for a Hales owned company and is now working for a non-brethren competitor.
In June 2017 at Mt Barker Magistrates Court, Australia. A brethren member was fined $600 dollars and ordered to pay at least $260 in costs. This was following the shooting of a neighbour’s cat with a crossbow, an act that the RSPCA described as sickening. They were also found to be hiding three illegal crossbows and 20 bolts in their bedroom. They faced a maximum fine of $20,000 or a two-year jail term. The defence team told the court that the defendant was a loyal, hard-working, trustworthy client, who also volunteers for charity, required special security clearances for federal government clients such as the air force. The neighbours expressed anger at the law, which they said “let us down”.
In October 2009, at Nelson District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member was found guilty of nine charges of indecently assaulting girls under 12 years of age and one charge of inducing a girl under 12 to do an indecent act on him. The four girls involved had been aged five to nine when the offending happened. He was jailed for two and half year and told to pay $20,000 in reparations.
In March 2018 in New Zealand. A brethren member was given a four-month sentence of community detention after pleading guilty to careless driving causing death in relation to the deaths of two of his family members and another family friend. In this case more serious charges were dropped. This case was heavily reported on by various media outlets at the time. It reported how a “clean-up crew” of more than 20 brethren members had swarmed the site of the accident. In the police documents released, a witness said they appeared to be trying to keep the events a secret. The defendant was found to be over the legal limit of alcohol nearly two hours after the crash.
In August 2024 at Victoria County Court, Australia. A brethren member was sentenced to eight years and nine months, with a minimum time served of five years and four months for killing his younger brother and cousin in a high-speed crash. He was driving at speeds of nearly 250 kilometres per hour when he crashed his vehicle into trees on Easter Sunday 2023. Though he was above the legal limit for alcohol, prosecutors did not allege alcohol was a factor in the incident. It is reported that in the aftermath of the tragedy that the member was excluded from the wider brethren community and banned from eating meals with his own family. The member received character references from his parents, sibling and former school principal. The judge acknowledged the deep remorse and shame and said the member has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The judge also praised the families for the “love & care” they had shown each other after the crash.
In August 2021 at Gloucester Crown Court, UK. A brethren member was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The sentence was reduced from three years and nine months allowing for his guilty plea. The incident left a pedestrian with life changing injuries after the car pinned her against a bridge. It also left the passenger of another vehicle with life changing injuries. The brethren member had walked away from the scene leaving the pedestrian trapped between his car and the side of the bridge. When officers attended his whereabouts were unknown. He was found nearby and was almost four times over the legal limit for alcohol. The dashcam footage of this incident has since been used by the Gloucester Constabulary in their campaign to prevent drink driving.
In August 2025 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. A brethren member was indicted on eight counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, one count of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, one count of Vehicular Assault, one count of Failure to Stop after Accident and one count of OVI (Operating a Vehicle Impaired). The member was booked in the Montgomery County Jail on Tuesday 6th August. The member has been found in July 2025 at a home in Warren, New Jersey according to a spokesperson with Ohio State Highway Patrol. A court appearance hasn’t been scheduled. It was reported separately that in April 2025 a $16 million settlement had been reached with The estates of Richard Turnbull, Larry Edwards, Stephen Cassel and Richard Coatney, plus Juan Nash, who was injured in the crash alleged Benchmark Industrial Inc. was negligent in employing the brethren member and entrusting the Volvo to him that was involved in the crash, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
Benchmark Industrial Inc. is a company owned by a member of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, and a relative of the brethren member defendant.
In November 2024 at Raymond Terrace Local Court, Australia. A brethren member avoided jail and will instead serve his nine-month sentence in the community after pleading guilty to an act of aggravated animal cruelty. The member had removed a much-loved chicken from its enclosure in a wildlife park before tossing it to alligators, where the chicken was killed, the incident has been picked up on CCTV and there were multiple witnesses. The member was also given 100 hours of community service work. The member’s defence included being a country guy and that he saw the chicken as food. Though it doesn’t mention that the brethren member was originally from New Zealand and had grown up in a city.
In February 2025 at Nelson District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member was sentenced on charges of unlawful hunting and reckless ill-treatment of a wild animal. The brethren member was the second member to receive a criminal conviction for the same incident. The incident involved chasing down a deer in a UTE vehicle and striking it so hard the animal was flung into the air before hitting the ground and breaking it bones. The member then grabbed it by the antlers and, as another member of the group helped to restrain it, he slit its throat. The “gratuitous & violent act” was then posted on social media to a Snapchat group named NZ Poaches. The brethren members lawyer said his client’s parents hoped he would continue with the therapy and counselling to address his volatility and depression since the incident which had exacerbated trauma from an earlier car accident. The member was sentenced to four months of community detention with a daily curfew and 100 hours of community work.
In May 2023 at Hastings District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury. In a road traffic incident, the crash left the driver of the other vehicle with a broken back, broken neck, a broken femur, 14 broken ribs and various other injuries and spent three months in hospital. The police summary of facts stated that defendant had been experiencing issues with his vehicle demisters not working causing excessive condensation on the windows, limiting visibility. “Despite being aware of this, the defendant continued to use their vehicle”. In his defence the lawyer said the members farm has suffered damage in Cyclone Gabrielle and requested that any order disqualifying the member from driving, commence in 12 days’ time, to allow him to address pending work. The Police prosecutor said that the victim felt let down by the restorative justice process. The member was ordered to make an emotional harm reparation payment to the victim $10,000 and was disqualified from driving for six months.
We are also aware of a horrific case, where a brethren member was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to attempting to rape a girl under the age of 12, as she slept and other sexual assaults on the same girl, along with taking and distributing indecent images.
In September 2025 at Staines Magistrates Court, UK. A brethren member pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer and received a sentence that included a Curfew with electronic monitoring, rehabilitation activity, unpaid work and an Order was made to deprive the defendant of their rights to seize blue lights from a vehicle. We believe that the member was ex-communicated. This person worked for a Hales owned company and is now working for a non-brethren competitor.
In June 2017 at Mt Barker Magistrates Court, Australia. A brethren member was fined $600 dollars and ordered to pay at least $260 in costs. This was following the shooting of a neighbour’s cat with a crossbow, an act that the RSPCA described as sickening. They were also found to be hiding three illegal crossbows and 20 bolts in their bedroom. They faced a maximum fine of $20,000 or a two-year jail term. The defence team told the court that the defendant was a loyal, hard-working, trustworthy client, who also volunteers for charity, required special security clearances for federal government clients such as the air force. The neighbours expressed anger at the law, which they said “let us down”.
In October 2009, at Nelson District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member was found guilty of nine charges of indecently assaulting girls under 12 years of age and one charge of inducing a girl under 12 to do an indecent act on him. The four girls involved had been aged five to nine when the offending happened. He was jailed for two and half year and told to pay $20,000 in reparations.
In March 2018 in New Zealand. A brethren member was given a four-month sentence of community detention after pleading guilty to careless driving causing death in relation to the deaths of two of his family members and another family friend. In this case more serious charges were dropped. This case was heavily reported on by various media outlets at the time. It reported how a “clean-up crew” of more than 20 brethren members had swarmed the site of the accident. In the police documents released, a witness said they appeared to be trying to keep the events a secret. The defendant was found to be over the legal limit of alcohol nearly two hours after the crash.
In August 2024 at Victoria County Court, Australia. A brethren member was sentenced to eight years and nine months, with a minimum time served of five years and four months for killing his younger brother and cousin in a high-speed crash. He was driving at speeds of nearly 250 kilometres per hour when he crashed his vehicle into trees on Easter Sunday 2023. Though he was above the legal limit for alcohol, prosecutors did not allege alcohol was a factor in the incident. It is reported that in the aftermath of the tragedy that the member was excluded from the wider brethren community and banned from eating meals with his own family. The member received character references from his parents, sibling and former school principal. The judge acknowledged the deep remorse and shame and said the member has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The judge also praised the families for the “love & care” they had shown each other after the crash.
In August 2021 at Gloucester Crown Court, UK. A brethren member was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The sentence was reduced from three years and nine months allowing for his guilty plea. The incident left a pedestrian with life changing injuries after the car pinned her against a bridge. It also left the passenger of another vehicle with life changing injuries. The brethren member had walked away from the scene leaving the pedestrian trapped between his car and the side of the bridge. When officers attended his whereabouts were unknown. He was found nearby and was almost four times over the legal limit for alcohol. The dashcam footage of this incident has since been used by the Gloucester Constabulary in their campaign to prevent drink driving.
In August 2025 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. A brethren member was indicted on eight counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, one count of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, one count of Vehicular Assault, one count of Failure to Stop after Accident and one count of OVI (Operating a Vehicle Impaired). The member was booked in the Montgomery County Jail on Tuesday 6th August. The member has been found in July 2025 at a home in Warren, New Jersey according to a spokesperson with Ohio State Highway Patrol. A court appearance hasn’t been scheduled. It was reported separately that in April 2025 a $16 million settlement had been reached with The estates of Richard Turnbull, Larry Edwards, Stephen Cassel and Richard Coatney, plus Juan Nash, who was injured in the crash alleged Benchmark Industrial Inc. was negligent in employing the brethren member and entrusting the Volvo to him that was involved in the crash, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
Benchmark Industrial Inc. is a company owned by a member of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, and a relative of the brethren member defendant.
In November 2024 at Raymond Terrace Local Court, Australia. A brethren member avoided jail and will instead serve his nine-month sentence in the community after pleading guilty to an act of aggravated animal cruelty. The member had removed a much-loved chicken from its enclosure in a wildlife park before tossing it to alligators, where the chicken was killed, the incident has been picked up on CCTV and there were multiple witnesses. The member was also given 100 hours of community service work. The member’s defence included being a country guy and that he saw the chicken as food. Though it doesn’t mention that the brethren member was originally from New Zealand and had grown up in a city.
In February 2025 at Nelson District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member was sentenced on charges of unlawful hunting and reckless ill-treatment of a wild animal. The brethren member was the second member to receive a criminal conviction for the same incident. The incident involved chasing down a deer in a UTE vehicle and striking it so hard the animal was flung into the air before hitting the ground and breaking it bones. The member then grabbed it by the antlers and, as another member of the group helped to restrain it, he slit its throat. The “gratuitous & violent act” was then posted on social media to a Snapchat group named NZ Poaches. The brethren members lawyer said his client’s parents hoped he would continue with the therapy and counselling to address his volatility and depression since the incident which had exacerbated trauma from an earlier car accident. The member was sentenced to four months of community detention with a daily curfew and 100 hours of community work.
In May 2023 at Hastings District Court, New Zealand. A brethren member pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury. In a road traffic incident, the crash left the driver of the other vehicle with a broken back, broken neck, a broken femur, 14 broken ribs and various other injuries and spent three months in hospital. The police summary of facts stated that defendant had been experiencing issues with his vehicle demisters not working causing excessive condensation on the windows, limiting visibility. “Despite being aware of this, the defendant continued to use their vehicle”. In his defence the lawyer said the members farm has suffered damage in Cyclone Gabrielle and requested that any order disqualifying the member from driving, commence in 12 days’ time, to allow him to address pending work. The Police prosecutor said that the victim felt let down by the restorative justice process. The member was ordered to make an emotional harm reparation payment to the victim $10,000 and was disqualified from driving for six months.
We are also aware of a horrific case, where a brethren member was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to attempting to rape a girl under the age of 12, as she slept and other sexual assaults on the same girl, along with taking and distributing indecent images.
Drink Driving, Speeding and Animal Cruelty
The above are just a very small selection of cases we have discovered during our investigation. We have found many criminal cases particularly involving Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding and Animal Cruelty. There are also a high number of non-criminal cases involving companies owned by brethren members where employees have received workplace injuries and in some cases death. Alongside fines issued to brethren member companies for breaking rules and laws.
What we have established there is a pattern of using their brethren membership as part of their defence. We have found one civil case for the pollution of a river where the defendant claimed their normal working practices and been impacted due to attending a church related meeting! The use of ‘Christianity” as part of a plea to reduce sentences, fines and orders would appear somewhat ironic.
The above are just a very small selection of cases we have discovered during our investigation. We have found many criminal cases particularly involving Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding and Animal Cruelty. There are also a high number of non-criminal cases involving companies owned by brethren members where employees have received workplace injuries and in some cases death. Alongside fines issued to brethren member companies for breaking rules and laws.
What we have established there is a pattern of using their brethren membership as part of their defence. We have found one civil case for the pollution of a river where the defendant claimed their normal working practices and been impacted due to attending a church related meeting! The use of ‘Christianity” as part of a plea to reduce sentences, fines and orders would appear somewhat ironic.
Conviction Numbers
We were surprised by the sheer number of cases uncovered and we believe that it is highly likely there are many more which go unreported. We are aware of ongoing cases including one for a member of a senior brethren family in the UK. It is difficult to ascertain the ratio in terms of the total number of brethren members in comparison to the number of criminal convictions. Which in turn, makes it impossible to gauge against non-brethren criminal conviction rates.
What we can ascertain is that when the Hales family state the brethren community is a law abiding, tax paying community, that this is no more correct than saying the wider non-brethren community do not commit offences. One could argue that in a secretive and insular community that there are many criminal activities which have never been discovered or reported. Though we would also add that we believe most brethren members to be decent, law-abiding citizens.
Finally, throughout this investigation we discovered an incredible and tragic number of deaths throughout the brethren community worldwide. It is incredibly hard to put into words the impact this must have on all those involved in the brethren. We are unable to compare this to the number of non-community deaths in tragic accidents, though we would be surprised if the ratio for non-community deaths and injuries is higher than that experienced with those in brethren fellowship.
We were surprised by the sheer number of cases uncovered and we believe that it is highly likely there are many more which go unreported. We are aware of ongoing cases including one for a member of a senior brethren family in the UK. It is difficult to ascertain the ratio in terms of the total number of brethren members in comparison to the number of criminal convictions. Which in turn, makes it impossible to gauge against non-brethren criminal conviction rates.
What we can ascertain is that when the Hales family state the brethren community is a law abiding, tax paying community, that this is no more correct than saying the wider non-brethren community do not commit offences. One could argue that in a secretive and insular community that there are many criminal activities which have never been discovered or reported. Though we would also add that we believe most brethren members to be decent, law-abiding citizens.
Finally, throughout this investigation we discovered an incredible and tragic number of deaths throughout the brethren community worldwide. It is incredibly hard to put into words the impact this must have on all those involved in the brethren. We are unable to compare this to the number of non-community deaths in tragic accidents, though we would be surprised if the ratio for non-community deaths and injuries is higher than that experienced with those in brethren fellowship.
Follow Us
Copyright brethrenexposed.com all rights reserved 2025