Police investigating suspected rape at HTB Focus Festival

A man has been arrested on suspicion of rape at Holy Trinity Brompton's Focus Festival.

The man was arrested on Wednesday and is being questioned by Hampshire Police.

Worship in the Big Top at Focus 2018. Focus/Facebook

The festival at the Somerley Estate on the Hampshire-Dorset border attracts thousands of mainly younger people and is badged as 'a week of teaching, worship and community for HTB and associated churches'. HTB is associated with the Alpha Course popularised by Nicky Gumbel.

This year the gathering was addressed by the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullalley, and RT Kendall.

Participants saw police on site as festival-goers were packing up to leave on Tuesday.

A police spokesman told Premier: ' A police spokesman said: 'We were called at 05.06am on August 1 to a report of a 21-year-old woman being sexually assaulted at the Focus Festival which was being held at the Somerley Estate, north of Ringwood at some point between 1.30 am and 2 am.

' The victim is receiving support from specialist officers.

'A 54 year-old man who is not from Hampshire has been arrested on suspicion of rape and remains in custody at this time.'

HTB told Premer it would not comment on the case as it was a police matter.

News
Russian court imprisons pastor for statement on Ukraine war
Russian court imprisons pastor for statement on Ukraine war

A Russian court has jailed a church pastor for four years after he spoke out against the invasion of Ukraine in a sermon.

Charlie Kirk funeral details announced
Charlie Kirk funeral details announced

The funeral for Charlie Kirk has been scheduled for Sunday 21 September.

Is child sponsorship outdated?
Is child sponsorship outdated?

Cris Rogers on why he thinks child sponsorship still has a valuable part to play in international development.

The Christian conversion and the invention of the English
The Christian conversion and the invention of the English

The Church played an important role in the origin of ‘Englishness’.