Establishment Figures Wrote Letters in Support of Sex-abusing Bishop Who Escaped Justice for Years

By Ruth Gledhill
Christian Today
January 1, 2016

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/establishment.figures.wrote.letters.that.helped.sex.abusing.bishop.escape.justice.for.years/75307.htm

Senior establishment figures wrote letters to the Crown Prosecution Service and leading police officers in support of disgraced Church of England bishop Peter Ball. They included the former Lord Justice Anthony Lloyd, the late Tory Tim Rathbone who was Prime Minister David Cameron's godfather and the former Tory Cabinet Minister Tim Renton. Ball, 83, is currently in prison after being sentenced last October for a string of offencs against 18 teenagers and young men between 1977 and 1992. Lord Justice Lloyd wrote to the Chief Constable of the Gloucestershire force, which was investigating Ball, and said: "He is the most gentle upright and saintly man I have ever met."


The 12 letters were released after The Telegraph and BBC submitted Freedom of Information requests. The law which allows the requests is currently being reviewed due to cost.

Among those who wrote letters to Barbara Mills, Director of Public Prosecutions, was former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton. He was clear that he did not wish to influence the decision to prosecute, but he wrote two letters. In the first, in February 1993, he said his first reaction to allegations of indencent behaviour with an adolescent was that it was "improbable" and that the allegations had caused Ball "excruciating pain and spiritual torment". In the second, a month later, he expressed concern about Ball's "fragile health".

Tim Rathbone wrote to Gloucester Police that it was "literally inconceivable" that Ball would ever become involved with anyone in in the way "insinuated" by "the newspapers".

Letter from then-Archbishop George Carey expressing concerns for health of Peter Balatory bishop escaped prosecution for sex abuse for 22 years after leading Establishment figures told police and prosecutors he was a 'saint'.

Another former Archbishop, Donald Coggan, who died in 2000 and who ordained Ball in 1977, wrote: "I have seen a good deal of excellent qualities in his work. I have known him as a godly man, totally devoted to his church. He has had an unblemished record."

Ball was merely cautioned after he admitted one count of gross indecency. He resigned as Bishop of Gloucester in 1993 but was later allowed to resume his ministry and was given a licence to officiate in Bath and Wells diocese until 2010.

He was finally jailed for 32 months last October, 22 years later, after he admitted a string of offences against 18 teenagers and young men between 1977 and 1992. During his trail that the court at Old Bailey was told the original decision not to prosecute had been made after police received dozens of letters and calls.

The allegations were first made in 1992 by Neil Todd, one of the victims, at the bishop's house in East Sussex where he had set up his own monastic community for young men. Todd committed suicide in 2012, shortly after the police re-opened their investigation and Ball was arrested.

Phil Johnson, indecently assaulted by Ball when he was a 13-year-old choirboy, told the Mail: "This campaign is indicative of how the Establishment has looked out for its own."

Rev Graham Sawyer, vicar of Briercliffe, Burnley, who was abused by Ball in the 1980s, told The Telegraph: "It is terribly sad he was not prosecuted in 1993 and it has not served anyone well. There needs to be a full investigation. Unfortunately the Establishment in this country is still strong and the relationship between the Church and the establishment needs to be looked at. We cannot allow the Establishment to collaborate in this way, it is not fit for purpose."

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."

Another former Archbishop, Donald Coggan, who died in 2000 and who ordained Ball in 1977, wrote: "I have seen a good deal of excellent qualities in his work. I have known him as a godly man, totally devoted to his church. He has had an unblemished record."

Ball was merely cautioned after he admitted one count of gross indecency. He resigned as Bishop of Gloucester in 1993 but was later allowed to resume his ministry and was given a licence to officiate in Bath and Wells diocese until 2010.

He was finally jailed for 32 months last October, 22 years later, after he admitted a string of offences against 18 teenagers and young men between 1977 and 1992. During his trail that the court at Old Bailey was told the original decision not to prosecute had been made after police received dozens of letters and calls.

The allegations were first made in 1992 by Neil Todd, one of the victims, at the bishop's house in East Sussex where he had set up his own monastic community for young men. Todd committed suicide in 2012, shortly after the police re-opened their investigation and Ball was arrested.

Phil Johnson, indecently assaulted by Ball when he was a 13-year-old choirboy, told the Mail: "This campaign is indicative of how the Establishment has looked out for its own."

Rev Graham Sawyer, vicar of Briercliffe, Burnley, who was abused by Ball in the 1980s, told The Telegraph: "It is terribly sad he was not prosecuted in 1993 and it has not served anyone well. There needs to be a full investigation. Unfortunately the Establishment in this country is still strong and the relationship between the Church and the establishment needs to be looked at. We cannot allow the Establishment to collaborate in this way, it is not fit for purpose."

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."