‘Sex cult’ of 77-year-old man discovered near Milan, Italy

Italian police have uncovered what has been termed a “sex cult” in the town of Novara, near Milan. The cult is believed to have been run by a man calling himself “the Doctor”, aged 77.

For 30 years, the man is thought to have taken advantage of vulnerable women and “brainwashed” them into submitting to “unbearable violence and abuse of all kinds”, according to police reports.

Raids were carried out on Sunday in two dance schools, a craft shop, and a publishing house where the Doctor apparently preyed on wealthy women who he would then lure into becoming his followers.

The women were reportedly subjected to sexual abuse and slavery, and were forced to refer to each other as “beasts”.

Police say the cult was still active when the raids were carried out.