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The women believed that if they disobeyed him, floods or other catastrophes would ensue – or even that they would die. They were beaten if they stepped out of line. Some were raped and sexually abused. When Sian began to show signs that she was pregnant, she and Bala’s followers were persuaded — mad as it sounds — that she was just swelling up with “gas.” Katy — or Prem, as she was originally called (Katy, her new name, marks the start of her new life) — was the result.

Bala hijacked her existence to create Project Prem, a child who would be raised by the commune with all members sharing equal responsibility for her care.

During her childhood, Katy was never taken to a doctor or dentist and did not go to school. On rare occasions she was taken out to a shop with one of the cult members, but she never played with other children, or ran or jumped. Group members taught her to read and she is clearly intelligent — but the impact of that lack of love is unimaginable.

Katy told me she was made to keep diaries. Sian would dictate what she had to say. They are chilling documents, recording in detail her daily existence: every bowl of Rice Krispies she ate is written down, as is every beating, which she was forced to explain. It seems Sian was the most strict and cruel of all of them.

Every morning Katy and the others sang songs of praise to Bala, with lyrics such as “Do what you want if you want to die, do what AB says if you want to live”. So there were death threats even in the daily music. They all believed Bala was capable of killing them.