Bishop of Guildford Reveals He Was a Victim of a Qc Accused of Sadomasochistic Beatings of Boys at Christian Summer Camps in the 1980s

By Mark Duell
Daily Mail
February 6, 2017

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4196678/Bishop-Guildford-reveals-victim-John-Smyth.html

The Bishop of Guildford revealed today that he was a victim of a QC accused of sadomasochistic beatings of boys at Christian summer camps in the 1980s.

Andrew Watson said he had endured a 'violent, excruciating and shocking' beating at the hands of John Smyth QC.

Mr Smyth is being investigated by Hampshire Constabulary over claims he forced a string of boys to strip naked before beating them while at church camps he ran, which were also attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bishop Andrew Watson (left) said he had endured a 'violent, excruciating and shocking' beating at the hands of John Smyth QC (right) who is being investigated by police

Bishop Andrew Watson (left) said he had endured a 'violent, excruciating and shocking' beating at the hands of John Smyth QC (right) who is being investigated by police

Mr Watson said: 'I am one of the survivors of John Smyth's appalling activities in the late 1970s and early 80s.

'I am also one of the Bishops in the Church of England. This has placed me in a unique and challenging position when it comes to the events of the past few days.

'My own story is certainly less traumatic than that of some others. I was drawn into the Smyth circle, as they were, and the beating I endured in the infamous garden shed was violent, excruciating and shocking; but it was thankfully a one-off experience never to be repeated.

'A while later one of my friends attempted suicide on the eve of another session in the shed - a story movingly told in the Channel 4 report - and at that point I and a friend shared our story.'

Mr Watson said he had been in contact with police over the weekend, and that his 'profoundest prayers are with all those affected by this'.

He added that he was grateful for Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's apology to survivors on behalf of the Church of England.

Mr Watson said that he was grateful for Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's apology to survivors on behalf of the Church of England. Dr Welby is pictured in London last week

Mr Watson continued: 'I would also like to express the concern of myself and some of my fellow survivors that we are seen as people and not used as pawns in some political or religious game.

'Abusers espouse all theologies and none; and absolutely nothing that happened in the Smyth shed was the natural fruit of any Christian theology that I've come across before or since.

'It was abuse perpetrated by a misguided, manipulative and dangerous man, tragically playing on the longing of his young victims to live godly lives.'

Accusations were levelled against Mr Smyth last week following a Channel 4 News investigation into his activities as a former leader at the Iwerne Trust camps, which had close links with the Church of England.

Yesterday, MailOnline revealed how Mr Smyth was still 'counselling' teenage boys until allegations against him emerged last week.

Mr Smyth met in private with 'predominantly young men of university-going age' as a leader at his church, his pastor confirmed.