Former Derby clergyman Derek Buckley accused of abusing children

By Isaac Crowson
Derby Telegraph
October 9, 2016

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/derby-clergyman-derek-buckley-accused-of-abusing-children/story-29791633-detail/story.html

Former Derby clergyman Derek Buckley, left, has been accused of abusing children. Derby Cathedral, right, is aware of the claims.

A former Derby clergyman and wartime code breaker has been accused of historical sex abuse against children.

Derek Buckley, a former honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral, allegedly abused two children in the late 1980s. The shock claims against Rev Buckley, who died at his home in Ashbourne in 1999 aged 82, have been raised with Derbyshire police and the Derby Diocese.

The allegations against him are forming part of a national police investigation into historical child sex abuse. Richard Scorer, a specialist abuse lawyer at legal firm Slater and Gordon, is representing the two alleged victims of Rev Buckley.

He said: “Very serious allegations have been made against the Derby Diocese. It is now important, not just for the survivors of abuse but society in general, that the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, examines these cases and broader failings of the Anglican Church and law enforcement agencies to protect children.”

A spokesman for Derby Diocese, the body which runs Church of England churches in the city, said it was aware of the allegations.

He said: “The Diocese of Derby takes safeguarding very seriously and we have been working closely with the police since we were made aware of allegations. We promise to listen in confidence to anyone who comes forward with safeguarding concerns relating to the Church.”

Mr Scorer is representing a total of 51 alleged abuse victims giving evidence to the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse which is being run by Professor Alexis Jay. The inquiry is investigating whether public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse.

Rev Buckley, a former pupil of Bemrose School began work as an apprentice electrical engineer at Celanese in Spondon. During the Second World War he was stationed at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire with the RAF and was involved in the top secret code-breaking exercise The Enigma Project.

At the age of 35 he began training for the Ministry and was ordained in 1955. He served as vicar of Church Broughton and Sutton-On-The-Hill.

He was made honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral in 1979, a title conferred on someone who has given faithful and valuable service to the church. He was made a hereditary Freeman of Derby and he retired in November 1983.

A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: “I can confirm that we had two reports against Cannon Derek Buckley of historical sexual abuse in the 1980s. As the accused is now deceased, there is no active investigation.”