Anglican Church Case Studies - Chichester and Peter Ball Investigation Report
On 9 May 2019, the inquiry published a report on child sexual abuse and the exploitation of children in the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Chichester and the case of Peter Ball.
The report identifies serious failings on the part of the Church of England to handle disclosures of abuse adequately, with responses to allegations often displaying a lack of urgency or appreciation of the seriousness of the abuse.
It states that there were occasions when the Church put its own reputation above the needs of victims and survivors of abuse in the Diocese of Chichester, with perpetrators about whom there were allegations, or known convictions, allowed to have unrestricted access to children and in some cases the ability to continue to offend. Clericalism and tribalism in the Diocese contributed to an approach to ministry which led to an abuse of power with the Church compromising child protection by prioritising its own reputation above the needs of victims and survivors.
The report also considers how Peter Ball abused his position as Bishop of Lewes and Bishop of Gloucester to deliberately manipulate, groom and abuse vulnerable teenagers and young men. He used his charisma, charm and influence to groom and influence individuals and institutions of the church. His activities were not subject to any monitoring or supervision by the Church, and he continued to receive unwavering support from both the Church and prominent public figures even after he received a caution for gross indecency in 1992. The Church's response to the arrest was to return him, without haste, to ministry without any kind of basic assessment of risk to children, which ultimately led him to avoid criminal conviction until 2015.
The only person able to limit Peter Ball's ministry, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, failed to take steps to do so and at worst, displayed overt support for Ball's innocence, both in communications with parishioners and to police investigating allegations against Ball. The Chair and Panel considered that almost every aspect of his decision-making regarding Peter Ball indicated poor judgement and a failure to recognise the appalling experiences of Ball's victims.
The report includes five recommendations including:
- Introduction of safeguarding guidance for religious communities to ensure communities affiliated with the Church meet adequate requirements for safeguarding and child protection, including a mandatory requirement to have and follow safeguarding guidance
- Amendment of Canon C30 to require clerics to comply with the Bishop's Guidance on Safeguarding
- Amendment of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to include clergy within the definition of a position of trust. This would criminalise sexual activity between clergy and a person aged 16-18, over whom they exercise pastoral authority, involving the abuse of a position of trust
- Sanctions for failures to comply with safeguarding procedures - individuals engaged in regulated activities who have failed to undergo a DBS check or complete compulsory training should not be permitted to hold voluntary offices within the Church & failure of ordained clergy to comply with the duty should result in disciplinary proceedings
- Disclosure of internal reviews or enquiries undertaken by religious organisations should be sent to the national review body set up under the Children and Social Work Act 2017.
Further recommendations will be made following the hearings in July 2019 which will focus on how the issues are being addressed in the wider Anglican church.