Cult figure charged

An Israeli man who kept a cult-like harem of women and fathered dozens of children with them was charged in a Tel Aviv court yesterday with enslavement, rape, incest and other sexual offences.

The 25-page indictment accused 60-year-old Goel Ratzon of setting himself up as a "godlike" figure who preyed on troubled women while treating them like "chattel".

Ratzon, who remains behind bars, has denied any wrongdoing and said the women joined him voluntarily.

According to the indictment, Ratzon kept at least 21 women who bore him a total of 49 children.

Police were aware of Ratzon for years, but say they couldn't make any allegations stick until three of the women brought complaints to welfare authorities.