Walter Chahwanda built a devout following as the charismatic, Tesla-driving founder of a church in a converted industrial unit, but he was hiding a dark secret
Walter Chahwanda was the founder and pastor of Sound of Dominion Church in Speke(Image: Liverpool ECHO/CPS)
Hannah was aged only 14 when she noticed the notification on her mobile phone. Walter Chahwanda, a man more than 10 years her senior whom she had come to know through their shared worship within the Apostolic Faith Mission Church, had sent her a Snapchat friend request.
At first, their conversation was nothing out of the ordinary. Chahwanda, a charismatic youth leader in the church in which his parents were central members, asked about her classes at school, and the two chatted about where they were from.
Then, out of the blue, Hannah received a video. She opened it, and was shocked to find, in unsparing detail, the self-proclaimed “man of God” performing a sex act upon himself. Deeply uncomfortable and no doubt racked with confusion, the teenager responded to these graphic, unsolicited images by messaging Chahwanda a string of question marks. Wholly unrepentant, he would brazenly reply: “Did you like that?”
This marked the beginning of a barrage of unwanted sexual pictures and films which following over the following 18 months. Hannah, an alias name created by the ECHO in order to protect her anonymity, would block one account, only to be contacted by another and sent further explicit materials.
Nearly 10 years later, she was standing in the witness box at Liverpool Crown Court. By now a young woman with children of her own, she told courtroom 41 on Friday: “After the images were sent, I felt shocked, violated and deeply distressed. I felt as though my privacy had been completely taken away from me.
“I experienced intense embarrassment and shame, even though I did nothing deserve what happened, nor did I ask for it. This experience taught me that not all church people are good, despite what I once believed.”
Hannah’s experience with Chahwanda was, sadly, far from a one-off. Over the course of more than three years, he subjected a total of eight teenage girls to such predatory behaviour, even going on to repeatedly sexually assault one victim.
Several reported Chahwanda’s crimes to both the church and the police at the time, but nothing was done. Instead, he was free to go on to found his own branch of the Apostolic Faith Mission, namely the Sound of Dominion Church.
Housed in a converted former printing shop on a drab industrial estate in Speke and nestled amongst self storage units, spit and sawdust gyms, a raw dog food shop and a carpet showroom, its social media pages showed worshippers uncontrollably tumbling to the ground after being overcome by the Holy Spirit and having their aches and pains cured through the power of prayer. Sunday services would typically be a vibrant pulse of live music, flashing lights, dancing and raw, unfiltered spiritualism.
Chahwanda sat at its very heart, the stylish, Tesla-driving pastor who boasted of wealth and wisdom, a published author and male beauty pageant winner with his own clothing brand and a line of watches. But, beneath this clean image and earnest message, the church’s leader hid a predilection for the depraved, a perverse secret “obsession with being exposed” which even saw him offer his victims McDonald’s food and cash to publicly out his exploitative behaviour, having bombarded them with sexual imagery.
Sound of Dominion Church on Edwards Lane in Speke(Image: Liverpool Echo)
David Watson, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: “The evidence suggests that this defendant used his prominent role within the Apostolic Faith Mission Church to target young female members across the country by sending unsolicited indecent images of himself masturbating. He was indiscriminate as to whether they were sent to young adults or children, aged 14 to 15 years old.
“The evidence suggested that the sending of images was bound up in the defendant’s well documented sexual obsession of being exposed online. Victims were encouraged, offered rewards and, one one occasion, threatened to disseminate those images.”
A four-week trial in early 2026 would hear that Chahwanda targeted victims as far afield as Manchester, South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and Kent after meeting them via the church, typically by sending unwanted intimate sexual images of himself. Most disturbingly, he even physically abused one 14-year-old girl during a music practice and “refused to stop, despite warnings from those within the church community”, although his position of power in the organisation “effectively allowed him to do as he pleased”.
Chahwanda would also “goad” his victims into revealing his behaviour and implore them to “expose him”, with the “thought of being caught appearing to be part of his sexual fantasies”. This saw him set up a Twitter account entitled “Naughty Pastor” and an Instagram page named “All Coming Out Now” for these same purposes and, sickeningly, he ordered the girl who he repeatedly sexually assaulted to write “I’m a little s**t” in her diary.
When later interviewed by detectives, with Merseyside Police officers who belatedly took up the case having been praised by a judge for their “dogged” determination after other forces seemingly took no action, Chahwanda would dismiss his behaviour as “naughty role play”. But a string of statements read out on behalf of his victims during his sentencing hearing laid bare his depraved actions and their lasting consequences.
Hannah was one of two who addressed him in person, telling him: “I just want every thought of you gone. Your family knew your character and failed me and every other girl.
“It represents a lack of safeguarding in a place that should prioritise protection. Not one person said that what you were doing wasn’t ok. It has shaken my trust, because if those serving God can’t protect you, it leaves you wondering who will.
“My vulnerability and innocence were taken advantage of. I find it harder to trust people and feel safe. The thing with you is, you beg for attention. In some way, this was a sick cry for help. Once you’ve got it in your mind, you’re going to do it. No sex offenders register is going to stop you.”
Sophie, again, not her real name, had known Chahwanda since she was aged 11. She was 16 when received the Snapchat friend request, after which the then 26-year-old defendant began “complimenting her about her body” before similarly sending videos of himself masturbating.
Addressing the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts from the stand this week, Sophie said: “I never thought the day would come where justice would be brought, not only for me but for the other victims. It wasn’t a single incident. It was prolonged, repeated and deliberate.
“I felt like I was going crazy, as if what was happening to me wasn’t serious enough to matter. Each time, I blocked him, yet, when we saw each other in person, he acted as if nothing had happened. That was one of most distributing parts.
“I once looked up to him. I saw him as someone I could learn from. Instead, he took advantage of my innocence. The feelings of disgust, heartache and anger I carried for years were justified.
“One of the deepest wounds was the lack of support from my church community. This was a place where I believed I would be protected. Instead, I felt dismissed and not taken seriously. We were left to carry something far too heavy on our own. As a result, I’ve lost trust in a community I once felt safe in.
“What happened to me wasn’t ok. It was an abuse of trust and power. I genuinely believed I wouldn’t be taken seriously. The violation I felt was immense. It felt like I was being used as part of a game for his own gratification. For a long time, I carried the burden of trying to stop it on my own. Today, the day has finally come where his actions have consequences.”
Junior prosecution counsel Philip Astbury read further statements to the court on behalf of Chahwanda’s victims. One, who never actually met her abuser in person, said in her account: “I couldn’t believe a youth pastor could be capable of doing what he did to me. It was indescribable.
“To have these worries at 17 was terrifying. I was scared to go my parents or tell anybody. I knew he was well respected. I thought no one would believe he was capable of doing this.
“I felt so let down by the system and the fact he’d been allowed to behave in this way. Seemingly, nothing was being done to stop him. I fought so long for justice. I hate the thought that other young women and girls had to go through what I went through at the hands of this man.
“What Walter did made me question my church. It made me feel like I couldn’t trust anyone in the church. I felt I had to move to another church so I could practice my religion in a space that felt safe. I feel so relieved, knowing that he is finally going to face the consequences for what he did to me and the other young girls, that his behaviour has been stopped and he’s not going to be able hurt anyone else.”
One of the complainants was deemed to be unfit to give evidence to the jury due to her ill health, with her mum instead saying on her behalf: “I was horrified that Walter Chahwanda had done this to my child. I was extremely angry that he sent such vile things to my child. It was very traumatising.
“No child should be exposed to this at such a tender age. The fact it was Walter Chahwanda who did this is so hard to accept. This was man I looked to as a leader. I thought he was a role model for my daughters. Instead, he exploited his position for his own sexual desires. I felt betrayed by him. I still can’t understand how he behaved in this way and that this could happen in our church setting.
“I feel like justice has now been served and our voices have been listened to. I feel like lessons need to be learned from what happened. When we went to the police years ago, we thought this would stop. Instead, nothing happened. Young girls should be listened to and taken seriously so this doesn’t happen again in our church community.”
Another victim meanwhile told the court in her statement: “I was a child. I was young and naïve. I just remember feeling so shocked. This man was someone so respected in my community, yet, behind closed doors, he was sexually abusing and harassing me and other young girls.
“Now I recognise the situation for what it was. I believe Walter used his position of power in the community to groom me. He thought I would keep quiet and not report it, because he had control. For a while, he did.
“He was so prominent on social media. I would see people worshipping and celebrating him. I felt like he got away with it. In secret, his actions had ruined lives.
“The place I once loved so much and had been part of my life for so long no longer felt safe. After what he did, nothing felt the same any more. I eventually left the church. I remember crying all the time. I felt completely lost without it. It was tarnished for me.
“It felt like no one was taking me seriously and that Walter’s actions would never stop. There were no consequences, and that made me lose faith further. When I discovered how many other young girls this had happened to, I was horrified.
“I knew he was dangerous and that what he did was bad, but I was so upset to hear his behaviour had escalated over the years. His power and confidence meant he was able abuse girls for so many years without consequences.
“You stole my innocence and made my question my faith. You damaged my trust in a community which was meant to make me feel loved and supported. I hope this never happens to your own children and you think of them when you’re forced to think of what you did to me.”
Chahwanda, of Plemonstall Court in Chester, was found guilty of a total of 17 sexual offences, although the now 34-year-old continues to deny his guilt. He was jailed for nine years and handed a five-year extended licence period, being told to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Walter Chahwanda(Image: CPS)
Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: “I have read a number of references about you from people involved in the church. There are people who describe you as deeply caring and supportive and as empathetic and selfless. I accept that it is obvious there are those to whom you have done good, and there is a side to you which is capable of, and has done, good.
“Equally, I heard, as did you, the victim personal statements of eight young women. All of those illustrate someone who is not empathetic and selfless, but someone who has severely damaged the lives and maturing processes of a number of young girls and women, as they are now.
“To some extent, the good enabled you to be in a position where you were trusted by people, where you were not suspected. They saw this good figure in the church, and you abused all of that for your sexual urges to come to the fore. You certainly did not treat those eight young women with empathy or selflessness.
“You described yourself as a man of God. If that means someone who behaves in a way befitting of his religion and church, you are nothing of the sort in the behaviours that you exhibited towards the eight young women who I am concerned with.
“It is clear that you were seen as a leader, a highly respected church leader, a youth leader, particularly in music. All of that charisma, you have abused for your own sexual ends. You have been involved with fashion, clothing, a watch brand, pageantry. You won Mr Personality. To some extent, they point towards a vanity and self regard.
“You abused the trust and power that you had in your position in the church to violate eight different young girls. People trusted you because of your role in the church, your prominence. Whether fame is the right word or not, certainly, you were a prominent figure.
“All were left bewildered, confused and scared that a man they looked up to, respected by many around them, could behave in this way. Their youth made them vulnerable. The impact on them of this behaviour has been immense. At a time when they were growing up, forming their personalities, their approaches to relationships, you stripped them of their dignity and privacy to satisfy your own desires.
“Your behaviour was deliberate, it was predatory and it was sustained towards multiple victims. Some of them went through that ordeal for a couple of years. You continue to show no understanding. You do not accept your guilt.
“In my judgement, you remain and will remain a danger to girls. Despite the good things that you are able to do, you do not seem to be able control your sexual impulses, urges or desires. You have got no control over that.”