Dad’s depravery led to sect probe
THE cult first came to attention in Scotland when Alexander Watt dodged prison after being found guilty of sexual offences against two youngsters in the 80s.
Watt, 70, from Dumbarton, was put on probation for three years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register following his conviction in 2017.
The dad-of-10 first attacked a girl aged between four and eight and subjected her to sexual assaults.
Depraved Watt, below, was also found guilty of assault and lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards a boy aged between seven and nine. His heinous crimes only came to light when his victims went to police many years later. Just weeks after that, officers said they were investigating the Children of
God for sexual offences against women and children.
Yesterday, police revealed children were used to beg for money to fund the group’s activities and movements around the world.
DS Neil Wilson said the kids were cut off from the outside world and often only allowed outside to beg, with adults closely watching them.
In America, the cult came to the attention of the FBI after victims came forward alleging incest and abuse.
Cult leader David Berg’s daughter Debbie escaped and told how she had been abused by him.
The sect was taken over by Berg’s wife Karen Zerby, whose son Ricky murdered his former nanny in 2005 and killed himself after alleging he had been sexually abused as a child.
Hollywood star Rose McGowan, who spent the first nine years of her life in the group, has said: “Like in most cults, you were cut off. You were kept in the dark so you would obey.”