Miracle baby con exposed

The cruel "miracle baby" deception of a self-styled archbishop was exposed today.

Peckham-based evangelical preacher Gilbert Deya built a booming church on claims that he could provide childless couples with babies through the power of prayer.

But a judge today angrily revealed the "ruthless and greedy" child traffickers behind the con.

Mr Justice Ryder's comments came as he ruled on the fate of one of the children, a one-year-old boy.

The baby was taken into care after tests revealed his DNA did not match either of his supposed parents. The hearing to determine the future of the child, known as C to protect his identity, was held in private by Mr Justice Ryder in the Family Division.

But he said he was making his findings public to try to prevent a recurrence of the deception and to try to trace C's birth parents.

The couple who claim to be the parents of the child sat at the front of the court today.

They are members of Britain's fastest growing religious movement, The Gilbert Deya Ministries.

Mr Deya is wanted in Kenya over allegations that he trafficsin children from the slums of Nairobi. The judge's hard-hitting ruling began: "This is a case about a young boy who is believed to be just one year old. I shall call him 'C'.

"Although he was given a name in a religious ceremony, he does not have a true identity. That was stolen from him by a cruel deception perpetrated by adults who are involved in international child trafficking.

"Their motive is simple, one of the most base of human avarices: financial greed."

The judge said supporters of Mr Deya had asked what possible motive there could have been for the deception because the couple, Mr and Mrs E, had paid no money over the pregnancies.

He said: "The answer to the question came from the evidence of Mr Deya himself. It was not that those who so urgently desire children pay - in this case they did not.

"The financial benefit comes from the very success of the ministry."

He said the church's funds have been generated at least in part by the tithes collected from a congregation "deceived by the claims that have been made about Mr and Mrs E's miracle births".

The Charity Commission has frozen the bank accounts of Mr Deya's ministry which has churches in Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

Twenty of Mr Deya's " miracle babies" have been taken into care in Kenya after DNA tests showed they had no genetic connection to their mothers.

Mr Deya has claimed that "through the power of prayer and the Lord Jesus" he has helped many previously infertile women give birth.

Mr Justice Ryder said it was not yet the time to make a final decision about the future of the child who is now in local authority care.

But he said the balance of the evidence, over the risk of harm to the child, went against the couple who claim to be his parents and pointed to him remaining in the care of the local authority for the time being.