Church of England to review child abuse claims
The Church of England has launched an in-depth review of all child abuse claims in an attempt to deal with any cover-ups in the past and to bring hidden abusers to book.
In a 17-page "protocol" published today, the Church admits that past cases must be reviewed in the light of new understandings about child protection and sexual abuse.
All 43 dioceses have 18 months in which to appoint an independent reviewer and carry out a thorough investigation into all allegations of child abuse before filing a report to central Church authorities.
Three people have been jailed this year for abuse committed decades ago. Churchwarden Derrick Norris from Northampton was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years for raping and abusing a young girl and sexually abusing a teenage boy.
Former choirmaster Peter Halliday from Hampshire, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting ten counts of indecent assault on three boys in the 1980s.
Clergyman David Smith was given a five-and-a-half years for abusing youngsters over three decades.
In their new protocol, the Church’s bishops admit: "We need to reflect on past decisions, in particular on those matters that were not always dealt with by the church in accordance with best practice of the time or of today."
They say that any cases that were known of in the past "but not adequately responded to" should be subject to "urgent review", with the statutory authorities being involved where appropriate.
The review will cover cases involving clergy, employees, readers, licensed lay workers and volunteers in the Church.
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