Teenage woman crucified as part of a 'week long exorcism carried out by her boyfriend and three of his religious friends'

Woman barely alive when found after 'exorcism' court heard today



Attackers, which included boyfriend, accused of tying her up like Jesus on cross

Alleged attackers are Seventh Day Adventists and are accused of torture



A teenager thought to be possessed by the devil was subjected to a violent crucifixion-style exorcism by four religious extremists, a court in France heard today (Monday).

Three men and a woman belonging to the Seventh Day Adventist Church are accused of kidnapping, and acts of torture and barbarism against the 19-year-old.

The young woman, referred to solely by the name Antoinette, was barely alive when police found her in a flat in a housing estate in the Paris suburb of Grigny.



Grigny, Paris, where a teenager was almost killed during an 'exorcism' by members of the Seventh Day Adventist church

Her tormentors are accused of tying her up like Jesus on the cross, and keeping Antoinette in the same position for seven days during 2011.



They believed that this would exorcise her from her sins, and get rid of the devil inside her.

In the meantime Antoinette was regularly beaten, and only allowed small amounts of cooking oil and water so as to stay alive.



Eric Deron, the teenager’s former boyfriend and the defendant who is thought to have instigated the assault, believed he was on a divine mission, Essonne Assizes, near Paris, heard.



Grigny, a suburb of Paris where the alleged exorcism took place

Deron is on trial along with his mother, Lise-Michelle Babin, and two men called Philippe Grego and Lionel Fremor, all from the French Caribbean.



According to statements read out in court, Deron was convinced his girlfriend was possessed because ‘she leapt on him’ while shouting incomprehensibly.



She had met her alleged assailants in 2008, through the Seventh Day Adventists, an America-based Protestant church which has millions of followers throughout the world.

Jacques Bourdais, barrister for the defendants, told French news agency AFP: ‘To them, she was possessed, that is why they did not call a doctor.



'You call a doctor when someone is sick, when someone is possessed you exorcise them.'

Mr Bourdais said the victim ‘was very much in love with Eric.



They all shared strong religious convictions, and a thorough understanding of the biblical texts.’



The accused all deny any wrongdoing against the woman, claiming she consented to the exorcism.

A spokesman for the Seventh Day Adventists said all the men had been expelled from church before the alleged attack.



He said that what happened had nothing to do with their teaching. The case continues until Friday.