Brutal world of British Scientology: Former devotee claims he was made to signal a billion-year contract and fed meagre meals of rice and beans whereas doing ‘arduous labour’ at London church

A Church of Scientology whistleblower has gone public on what he describes as relentless abuse inflicted in the UK by the ‘religious’ movement backed by high-profile Hollywood stars.

Alex Barnes-Ross, 29, told MailOnline of being mistreated by the organisation founded by sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard and which has two bases in London as well as a main British HQ in East Grinstead, West Sussex.

After serving as a Scientology book sales director and almost signing up for one of the church’s ‘1billion-year contracts’, he is now outspokenly campaigning against the practices of the group to which he was previously devoted.

And he shared details about life, not only as a member but also as an employee, of the organisation which was first set up in the United States in 1952 and boasts high- profile members including Tom Cruise and John Travolta. 

He describes how aspiring leaders were put under pressure to work 18-hour days across seven-day weeks – and put on menial ‘hard labour’, such as hauling huge boxes or scrubbing walls with a tiny sponge, while rationed to sparse meals of rice and beans if they were deemed to be underperforming. 

And he told how many fellow members were suffering in silence, afraid to speak out about their ordeals for fear of being punished as well as isolated from friends and family. 

The movement has rejected allegations made by Mr Ross-Barnes, who now works as a marketing director and lives in east London, and accused him of pursuing a campaign of harassment.

Mr Barnes-Ross, who has 1.15million views and 10,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, says he himself is the victim of abusive comments from social media accounts linked to and supporting the Church of Scientology – including taunts such as ‘weirdo paedophile’ and ‘rabid anti-religious bigot’.

He described receiving at least 6,000 abusive messages in the past six months, with more following an interview he gave to the Observer published on Sunday.

He has now told MailOnline: ‘Their continued attacks against anybody who criticises them is the total opposite of what we would expect of any other “church”. 

‘Where is the accountability? Where is the kindness and compassion for those who have survived horrific abuse within their organisation?’

Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices set out by Hubbard, including claims that Earth was populated 75million years ago by billions of extra-terrestrials led by Xenu, a ruler of a ‘Galactic Confederacy’.

Xenu is said to have then annihilated every living soul on Earth – or ‘Teegeeack’, as the planet was then known – by dropping them into volcanoes before blowing them up with hydrogen bombs.

Their spirits are described as adhering to humans and to be the source of many of our problems.

Scientology’s accusers say the purported faith – whose famous followers include A-list actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta – is a profit-hungry business rather than a religion, charging large sums to members for ‘self-improvement’ courses.

The church has faced accusations of exploitation and abuse from former members, as well as ‘brainwashing’ and carrying out intensive psychological ‘drills’, although it has always denied all such allegations – arguing that it is unfairly misrepresented and maligned.

The Church of Scientology maintains that it is a genuine religious movement – and was given this status by the UK’s Supreme Court in 2013 which ruled one of its London chapels was a place of religious worship.

Mr Barnes-Ross, who now posts online using the moniker ‘Apostate Alex’, says he was ‘swooped upon’ to join the church during a ‘vulnerable’ time as a youngster.

He described three tiers within the organisation, from ‘paying parishioner’ through direct employees and culminating in the top level of ‘Sea Organization’ or ‘Sea Org’ senior staff members.

They are asked to pledge devotion to the church for 1billion years.

He said he was on the pathway for such a role, and preparing to take further training at the international organisation’s Florida head office – but became increasingly disillusioned by the church’s beliefs and practices.

Mr Barnes-Ross says he was put on ‘hard labour’, or else menial duties, between 2011 and 2014 due to concerns about his performance and being labelled a ‘source of trouble’ – a phrase used in his eventual letter of dismissal.

He had been based at one of the church’s two London bases, in Tottenham Court Road, where his main task was heading the sale of Scientology books.

He described how members were allocated a ‘statistic’ judging their performances on a weekly basis – and that punishment would follow if these fell.

Mr Barnes-Ross said: ‘If your statistic falls even from 10 to nine, you’re effectively punished – I was put on menial duties for the most minor things, forced to haul boxes across distances, made to scrub huge walls with a tiny sponge.

‘When you’re on the 1billion-year contracts you’re told you’re devoting all your life and future lives to the church. They can banish you to another country. The work is Monday to Sunday, 14-, 16-, 18-hour days.’ 

Mr Barnes-Ross, who joined the church aged 15 in 2011, said: ‘I was at a vulnerable point in my life – a lot of friends had passed away. When you’re at a vulnerable age, you’re prime for the picking. They swooped in.

‘I signed up for a course on the church’s teachings for £30, searching for something in life and thinking, what is there to lose? I joined as a teenager and then rose up in their ranks.

‘But for my last two years I was on hard labour. They told me I was a “potential trouble source”. In the Sea Organisation, your diet could be restrained, forced to eat only rice and beans.

‘I was signing up for the billion-year contract – I was in the process of going over to join the senior staff in Florida. That was the plan. It’s the ultimate act of dedication.

‘But you’re being indoctrinated and controlled. People aren’t willing to speak out about how they’re being treated, as there’s pressure on family and friends to cut you off if you criticise the church.’ 

He said he hoped going public would encourage others unhappy about their time within the church – while fearing what Hubbard had instituted as a so-called ‘Fair Game’ approach to taking on critics.

The organisation’s founder, who died aged 74 in 1986, was quoted as saying in a 1968 directive to senior staff: ‘If we can stop them attacking us we can certainly turn them around and point them some other way.’ 

Mr Barnes-Ross also accused the church’s supporters of ‘weaponising the internet’ in response to critics, including the 6,000 abusive messages he says he has received in the past six months. 

He said of the backlash he has received: ‘Of course it’s frightening. It’s not pleasant to be the subject of a sustained and prolific campaign of targeted harassment. What sort of church attacks its members in this way?

‘It’s not something that should be tolerated but it’s something to be expected when you speak out about Scientology. I don’t expect it’s going to end any time soon.

‘I know of people still scared to speak out publicly. I hope to encourage the authorities to step up – and for others to feel the confidence to act.

‘This isn’t just a crazy American cult. It’s dangerous – and the UK is one of its main fundraising bases.

‘I was kicked out in 2014 but I still kept on believing for another two years and I only started speaking out two years ago. It took me a long time to come to terms with the abuse suffered and how Scientology was still impacting my life.

The Church of Scientology International has this week told MailOnline that Mr Barnes-Ross’s accusations of ‘abuse’ being committed were ‘false and libel’.

They added: ‘Any social media about Alex Barnes-Ross is a response to his routine and daily message of hate on YouTube and other social media.

‘This response on social media shows the volume of those who disagree with Barnes-Ross’ harassment and are offended by his religious bigotry.

‘The Church does not have a “fair game” policy and does not engage in “targeting critics”.

‘The only reference to this term in the last five decades has been by individuals seeking to misinterpret it for their own financial benefit.

‘Scientology offers true spiritual enlightenment and freedom for all. 

‘It is why the religion is enjoying explosive growth throughout the United Kingdom and beyond, with more than 11,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups operating worldwide across six continents.

‘Millions of people around the world are living happier and more fulfilling lives because of Scientology.’