No Jersey Clergy to Be Disciplined over Abuse Complaint Handling
BBC News
No disciplinary action is to be taken against any Jersey Anglican clergy member into the handling of an abuse complaint, a bishop says. Inquiries were ordered by Bishop of Winchester, the Right Reverend Tim Dakin, after a woman claimed she was abused by a church warden. The review examined how the Dean of Jersey, the Very Reverend Bob Key, dealt with the issue. However, a report into the reviews is not to be released on legal advice. The original complaint was made in 2008 by a 26-year-old woman known as HG, who described herself as having been diagnosed with autism. Police investigated the allegations but found insufficient evidence. HG has said since that she was living destitute in the UK and claimed the Church of England let her down. Reverend Key was suspended for two months earlier this year over an alleged mishandling of the claims. He returned to his post in April. Rt Rev Dakin commissioned the two inquiries, one into the incident and a wider review into safeguarding policies. Former High Court judge Dame Heather Steel is writing a final report for the diocese. However, the Rt Rev Dakin said he had "agreed to comply" with a request not to release the report after receiving legal advice.
He said: "What I can state at this point, based on Dame Heather's findings to date, is that I will not be taking disciplinary action against any member of the clergy in relation to the handling of the safeguarding complaint in question or the subsequent review process." He also said a pastoral visit was to be carried out to the Channel Islands in December "so that a fresh perspective can be taken on safeguarding". He added: "In all of this, the victim at the heart of the original complaint should not be forgotten." He said the diocese had "made provisions to help support HG through a third party".
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