She loved the self-proclaimed rabbi Philip Sharp, worked hard on the family farm and tried to get along with his 5 other 'wives'. But
finally the isolation, jealously and loneliness became too much and she
found the courage to leave her 'husband', who had become known throughout Britain as the 'rampant rabbi'.
'Rabbi' Philip Sharp, his 6 wives and some of his children
The Daily Mail reports:
For years Tracey Sharp believed she could be happy sharing her 'husband' with six other women.
She loved the self-proclaimed rabbi Philip Sharp, and worked hard on the family farm and tried to get on with his other 'wives'.
But finally the isolation, jealously and loneliness became too much and she found the courage to leave her 'husband', who had become known nationwide as the 'rampant rabbi'.
Now, more than two years later, and living with her children in a two-bedroom flat in Sussex, Tracey has revealed the darker story behind the unusual family set-up and why she decided to leave.
The 46-year-old said far from the happy family Sharp liked to portray, the wives constantly argued, worked six days a week and were given allowances of just £30 a month to live on, while he was treated like a 'king'.
Tracey first met Sharp in 1998 in Hove, Sussex, after she split from the father of her 14-year-old son.
It was around this time that he claimed he had received a message from God informing him he was a king and telling him to take multiple wives.
After separating from his legal wife, Sharp 'married' secretary Judith before taking Tracey as his 'wife' in 2001.
Over the next few years he also 'married' Hannah, Vreni, Margo, Chava and Karyn and had twelve children by his seven wives.
None of these were legal marriages and Sharp said marriage takes place during sex.
However, all the women, who lived in separate parts of the farm, changed their surnames by deed poll to Sharp and wear wedding bands.
The unusual family eventually set up home on a £675,000 farm in Whatlington, East Sussex, using the women's child benefit and tax credits.
Tracey, who had two children by Sharp, Naomi, now nine, and Mischa, three, said initially she had total faith in her 'husband' and his beliefs.…