Spiritual healer, 30, 'told a vulnerable woman that having sex with him would cure her marriage problems'

Syed Shah alleged to have used his influence to defraud victim of £6,000 

He told woman having sex would heal marriage troubles, a court heard

Prosecution says Shah 'took advantage of the emotional state' of victim

Shah, 30, of Stechford, denies two charges of rape and one of fraud  

  

Shah, 30, of Stechford, denies two charges of rape and one of fraud 

A spiritual healer took advantage of a vulnerable woman telling her having sex with him would cure her marriage problems, it is alleged.

Syed Shah also used his influence to con his victim out of £6,000, Birmingham Crown Court was told. 

He is alleged to have told the 28-year-old woman that having intercourse with him would help to heal the problems she was having in her marriage.

Shah, 30, of Stechford, denies two charges of rape and one of fraud.

Mark Heywood, prosecuting, said the case was about deceit and that under the guise of spiritual healer he 'took advantage of the emotional state' of the victim.

He said: 'He took advantage of her for his own sexual and financial gratification.'

Mr Heywood added the woman, who had been married for three years and had a young son, had been suffering from stress.

She was suffering from post natal depression and also lived with a large number of her husband's family.

In June last year a friend introduced her to Shah who told her he could help to make things 'settle down' between her and her husband, Mr Heywood said.

'After they met he offered to take steps to purify the relationship. He required £600 for a ritual sacrifice to be made,' he said.

Mr Heywood said the alleged victim gave him the money in cash but things failed to improve.

The defendant then told the woman there were two further rituals to be carried out and that 'part of that process was to have sex with him or the relationship would fail.'

Mr Heywood said the victim was told that it was the last resort and that she 'endured' having intercourse with Shah.

When she later contacted Shah he told her the ritual had to be recommenced and that he had to have sex with him again, the court heard.

Mr Heywood said the woman initially rebuffed the defendant saying she would use her own ways to make things better between her and her husband.

However Shah continued to advise her and persuaded her she needed to 'resume physical contact' with him and as a result she had sex with him again, he said.

Afterwards she felt uncomfortable and felt she was being unfaithful to her husband but Shah encouraged her and told her he should trust him, the jury was told.

Mr Heywood said it was the prosecution's case that on neither of the occasions she had intercourse with Shah did she give 'genuine consent' and that he had 'induced' her into believing he was acting as a spiritual man.

He said Shah had told the woman that his services were free but that a man he worked for called the 'Hindu man' needed money to finance his work. 

The alleged victim subsequently paid a further £5,400.

The trial continues.