COLIN BATLEY AND KIDWELLY: A HORRIFIC CULT OF ABUSE AND SODOMY REVEALED

Description

Clos yr Onnen, a quiet suburb in Kidwelly, Wales, is characterized by its well-maintained homes and manicured gardens. Situated just a short distance from the medieval castle in this charming seaside town, the cul-de-sac appears unremarkable—children's bikes and scooters are often seen leaning against lampposts as cars pass by during school runs, commutes, and shopping trips. Despite this seemingly typical setting, it was here that convicted cult leader Colin Batley, now 56, orchestrated a sordid Satanic paedophile ring that subjected children and young adults to intimidation and sexual abuse in the most horrific ways.

This disturbing abuse was uncovered and led to the arrest and conviction of Batley and three of his neighbors, culminating in a 36-year prison sentence in 2011. Batley, who was warned he might never be released, used this cult as a means of brainwashing victims for years. The roots of his criminal enterprise stretch back approximately two decades after he moved from London to Carmarthenshire in the 1990s, establishing himself as a self-proclaimed high priest of a homemade occult sect.

Batley's wife Elaine, with whom he was married for 28 years before their separation prior to trial, was also implicated. Following their move to Wales, Jacqueline Marling and Shelly Millar joined the same street and became key members of the sect. Inspired by the works of the infamous Satanist Aleister Crowley, who died in 1947, female members referred to Batley as 'My Lord' and decorated their homes with Egyptian idols and symbols. They sported tattoos such as the Eye of Horus, which celebrated Crowley's reverence for the Egyptian god Horus.

The cult, known as The Church, held occult rituals often involving hooded robes and simulated group sex, with some houses used regularly for these sessions as part of their swinging lifestyle. Batley, described as scruffy and unemployed with missing teeth, would read from Crowley's ancient texts—The Book of The Law, Equinox of the Gods, and The Book of Magick—and direct cult members to engage in sexual acts on camera, though the recordings are believed to have been destroyed before his arrest.

Mocked by friends in London for being tipped off about the police raid just two days prior, Batley's fascination with Egypt seemed superficial—he once said, 'Egypt? I don't mind Egypt.' During his 2011 trial at Swansea Crown Court, Batley used the religion to justify his abuse, claiming the cult was a brainwashing scheme. Survivors testified, some as adults, recounting repeated abuse—detailed accounts include Batley's manipulation of victims, including a schoolboy who testified he was repeatedly assaulted as a child, and a schoolgirl who admitted she was forced into participation through fear of death, with Batley threatening to kill her through an assassin.

One victim described how Batley coerced her into satanic initiation ceremonies that culminated in sexual acts at satanic sex parties where participants disrobed and engaged in orgies around ritual altar setups with wine, incense, and salted bread. During the trial, a victim explained how Batley could make women strip by simply clicking his fingers, and how he threatened her with going to the 'abyss' if she refused sex—an apparent reference to hell.

Batley was accused of interfering in a young woman's decision to abort a pregnancy he believed was linked to the occult, using persistent psychological coercion and fear. The abuse spanned decades across Kidwelly and London addresses. Throughout the trial, Batley maintained his innocence, denying he led any cult despite evidence, his own admissions of open relationships and threesomes with co-defendant Jackie Marling, and his attempts to justify his income from dog breeding and gambling.

Following their arrest in the summer of 2010, Batley and Elaine separated. Elaine, who was convicted of indecency with children and sentenced to eight years, testified that her husband laughed at her from the dock, expressing her shame. She admitted to having had a long-term affair with Marling and a brief fling with Shelly Millar, and revealed that she once sent Batley a provocative photo that led to group activities with other couples.

The court heard how Batley's home was marked by an English flag draped in disrepair, and two aggressive Rottweilers named Sekhet and Toots often appeared to threaten neighbors. Descriptions from residents portray Batley as an intimidating figure, walking his dogs around the estate to dominate the neighborhood. One neighbor, recalling the police raid, said, 'I had no idea what it was about,' noting Batley’s arrogance.

Years later, in 2014, a survivor known by the pseudonym Annabelle recounted her traumatic history, revealing her mother—Jacqueline Marling—abused her under Batley's orders from the age of seven. Annabelle detailed her first rape at 11, the ongoing psychological manipulation, and her forced participation in group sex, which she compared to a form of satanic slavery. She recounted her escape at 18, after sleeping with over 1,800 men whose earnings supported the cult.

Additional victims shared harrowing experiences of being forced to wear satanic symbols, raped, and controlled through fear by Batley. One woman described how Batley ordered her to have sex at 15 as part of occult initiation, threatening her with death if she disobeyed. Reflecting on his prison sentence, she said, 'A hundred years would not be enough for Colin Batley, but at least now myself and the other victims can start to rebuild our lives outside of that contemptible man.'

Originally from London, Batley's manipulation extended to passing victims around among cult members for sexual purposes, asserting that 'the occult was strong in Wales.' The community, devastated by the revelations, expressed revulsion towards Batley's actions, emphasizing the profound harm inflicted on innocent lives through his orchestration of abuse and satanic rituals.