Like a robot, programmed to serve Christ's bride - and by extension God. This is how a witness describes his 20 years in Knutby's Philadelphi Assembly.

“Everything was about serving and saving Åsa from evil . She was prepared to die for Åsa, ” notes the police after the March 2018 hearing.

Already in 2004, Åsa Waldau was one of the main characters in the so-called Knutbydramat, where Pastor Helge Fossmo's wife was murdered and another member of the congregation was heavily shot. Uppsala District Court sentenced Helge Fossmo to the murder and the attempted murder, while the family girl's child was convicted of murder and attempted murder in closed forensic psychiatric care.

Helge Fossmo must have convinced her child girl to commit murder. But in the small town in Knutby, it was Åsa Waldau who decided - and she became a hot topic for the media. However, after Helge Fossmo and the child girl received their punishment, it would take many years before "The Bride of Christ", who Åsa Waldau became known as, ended up on the runners-up again.

But it was not so that the media fascination for Åsa Waldau disappeared as the Knutbydramat got its resolution. Meanwhile, she was invited to "Malou after ten" on TV4 and the SVT program "Skavlan", where she and "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff met.

And as late as 2016, she appeared in "On the Track", the quiz that is one of Sweden's most popular television programs.

There, in a video clip, she was asked the question for the two teams: “ During what was called Knutbydramat, I became known through the Swedish media as 'the bride of Christ', but what am I really called? ".

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What few knew was that Åsa Waldau, who in the skymund had been given an even more elevated position in Knutby, during this time must have exposed several of his parishioners to abuse. Just months after "On the Track", she must have beaten a member of the congregation during a trip abroad. This is one of many cases that must now be tried by Uppsala District Court.

“I was incredibly grateful. This I thought was my calling, to help Åsa in her service to meet the outside world, ”the victim says in an interview.

But the journey - which would be a chance to prove successful - ended in pain.

Åsa Waldau is accused of biting the female ward member in the neck, pulling her hair and clutching her over the body.

“It felt like I was assaulted by a wild animal. I was so scared that I was peeing on me, ”the victim says.

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But words are against words and Åsa Waldau herself describes the testimony as a statement from a confused woman, even though she admits that she gave the congregation member an ear file to "get her to start talking" when she was "hysterical".

“Biting your neck, tearing and stuff is definitely a lie. I completely deny that, ”says Åsa Waldau to the interrogator.

This accusation is just one of many that Uppsala District Court will now decide on. Åsa Waldau, who has described the abuse as "a spiritual battle", is charged with repeatedly abusing six people. Among other things, she is suspected of chopping a person in the hand with a fork.

In addition to Åsa Waldau, two other pastors are charged:

• Peter Gembäck, who went to the police and reported himself, is suspected of abuse and unlawful coercion. In a new interview with Svenska Dagbladet, he has said that he will be disappointed if he is not sentenced but that he does not want to sit in jail.
  
• NN, former pastor, who is charged with assault and sexual exploitation of a dependent person after having sex with a 17-year parishioner. In interrogation, the 17-year-old said that she believed she helped the pastor in his "fight" to "fix what is sexual and dirty" before Jesus can be resurrected to marry the bride of Christ.

The trial is expected to take ten days and many witnesses will be heard. At the same time, it is in a hurry - the limitation period for abuse of the normal degree is five years and an assault for which Åsa Waldau is accused is already prescribed.

Eight people stand as a target owner. And, unlike the first Knutby trial, where Helge Fossmo was convicted of the murder charge, much points to the fact that the entire trial, except through prosecution and sentencing, is held behind closed doors. This is at the request of the prosecutor, in order not to reveal the identity of the defendant who must have been subjected to sexual exploitation.

Åsa Waldau himself has chosen not to answer any questions before the trial.

"She's not feeling well," said her defense lawyer Andreas Hahn in May last year.