Former Tory Minister Defended Bishop Later Convicted of Sex Abuse

By Emilio Casalicchio
PoliticsHome
January 1, 2016

https://www.politicshome.com/home-affairs/articles/story/former-tory-minister-defended-bishop-later-convicted-sex-abuse


Tim Renton, who had been Arts Minister in John Major's government, wrote more than 20 years ago that the "shame" of criminal action would be "far too great a punishment?" for former bishop of Lewes and Gloucester, Peter Ball.

The inquiry against Mr Ball was dropped, but a fresh probe in 2012 led to his conviction last year for 18 counts of sex abuse against vulnerable young men between 1977 and 1992.

Mr Ball, now aged 83, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to the offences.

Writing to the DPP during the original investigation, then-Mid Sussex MP Mr Renton said had never heard a “breath of any suggestion of impropriety” regarding the period that Mr Ball was bishop in his former constituency of Lewes.

“However, I know him well enough to be certain that no punishment will be greater for him than any knowledge that he has broken his own vows of chastity,” Mr Renton continued.

“This alone will make him suffer for the rest of his life. To add the further shame of criminal action seems far too great a punishment.”

In the letter, written 10 months after he ceased to be a minister, Mr Renton added that Mr Ball had “suffered terribly over the past six weeks" of the police investigation.

Tim Rathbone, the Tory MP for Lewes at the Time, ?also wrote a letter in support of Mr Ball.

'SPIRITUAL TORMENT'

George Carey, who was archbishop of Canterbury at the time of the original probe, wrote to the chief constable of Gloucester in 1993 noting that “special pleading” would be inappropriate, but adding:

“I believe I am justified in drawing to your attention the excruciating pain and spiritual torment which these allegations have inevitably brought upon a man in his exposed position and with his sensibilities”.

He added: “If he is guilty of unprofessional behaviour it is quite unrepresentative of his style.”

The letters, alongside a number of others by public figures, were released by the Crown Prosecution Service in response to a Freedom of Information request.

In its FoI response, the CPS said: “Whilst we appreciate some embarrassment may be caused by the release of these letters, we believe this is outweighed by the public interest in accountability under their respective titles.”

The revelation is likely to spark further concern of an establishment cover-up of historical child sexual abuse.