Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

Author: Mamamia Podcasts May 8, 2025 Duration: 52:57

At just 18 months old, Ben Shenton was handed over to a woman who claimed she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

That woman was Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the leader of a secretive doomsday cult called The Family. For 14 years, Ben lived cut off from the outside world—beaten, starved, drugged, and taught to stay “unseen, unheard, unknown.” The cult twisted Christianity into a tool of fear and control.

Ben was finally rescued at age 15 during a police raid. Today, he’s an advocate for survivors and a pastor who still follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, just not the version the cult tried to force on him.

You can find Ben’s website, Rescue the Family, here, and his book Life Behind the Wire here.

CREDITS 

Guest: Ben Shenton 

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show, then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review. You can also leave a comment for us on Spotify. 

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Gemma Bath hosts True Crime Conversations, a podcast from Mamamia Podcasts that delves into infamous criminal cases from Australia and around the world. Rather than just recounting facts, each episode is built around a direct conversation with someone who has a unique, often personal connection to the story. You might hear from a detective who worked the case, a journalist who covered the trial, a family member seeking answers, or a forensic expert who examined the evidence. This approach brings a tangible, human dimension to stories that can sometimes feel distant or sensationalised. The tone is engaging and thoughtful, focusing on the nuances and the people affected, rather than just the shock value. It’s for anyone who appreciates a deeper, more conversational entry into the true crime genre, where the emphasis is on understanding the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ from those who were actually there. Listening to this podcast feels like being part of a serious, yet accessible, discussion about some of the most compelling and complex crimes in recent history.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

True Crime Conversations
Podcast Episodes
The Double Life Of Dennis Rader: The BTK Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
On January 15, 1974, 15-year-old Charlie Otero and his siblings came home in Wichita, Kansas, to find their family murdered - the first known victims of the BTK killer: Bind, Torture, Kill. Dennis Rader, a father, church…
Unmasking Chopper Read: The Infamous Australian Criminal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:12
Part criminal, part storyteller, and part myth. Mark “Chopper” Read is one of Australia’s most polarising figures. Today, we dive into the life and legacy of the man behind the legend. From a violent childhood and years…
We Take You Inside The New Amanda Knox Series And Real-Life Case [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
On a summer night in Italy in 2007, the brutal murder of Meredith Kercher shocked the world. Her American flatmate Amanda Knox, and her new boyfriend Raffaele, were instantly thrust into an international legal saga that…
Inside The Mind Of Australia's Youngest Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:02
What drives a teenager to become a killer? In 2001, three-year-old Courtney Morley-Clarke was put to bed on a hot summer night on the NSW Central Coast. By morning, her bed was empty, the screen door wide open, and her n…
Inside The Cecil Hotel: Dark Truths Behind Elisa Lam's Elevator Video [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:39
On a February morning in 2013, guests at the infamous Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles complained of brown, foul-tasting water. What the maintenance team discovered on the rooftop would spark a global internet frenzy - the bod…
"My Daughter Fell Victim To An Online Catfish" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:41
When police raided the home of 48-year-old Garry Francis Newman in March 2007, they found him sitting in his lounge room, chatting online with a 14-year-old girl. She thought she was speaking to “Brandon,” a teenage Amer…
Barry & Honey Sherman: Bodies Found Posed By The Pool [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:12
You don’t expect to find two billionaires posed like mannequins by their own pool. But on December 15, 2017, realtor Elise Stern did just that when she entered Barry and Honey Sherman’s Toronto mansion. Honey was traveli…
Sally Leydon Spent 30 Years Searching For Her Missing Mother [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:37
On October 19, 1997, Sally Leydon called her brother Owen to ask if their mum, Marion Barter—who was on a year-long trip overseas—had phoned for his birthday. When Owen said no, Sally felt uneasy. Marion never missed bir…
The Honeymoon Drowning That Turned A Groom Into A Murder Suspect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:21
In October 2003, newlyweds Gabe and Tina Watson travelled from Alabama to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for their dream honeymoon. Just 11 days after their wedding, the couple prepared to dive the SS Yongala shipwreck,…