Inquiry Details Allegations of Sex Abuse at Hands of Bradford Vicar, Trevor Devamanikkam

By Jo Winrow
Teoegraph & Argus
October 6, 2020

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18773633.inquiry-details-allegations-sex-abuse-hands-bradford-vicar-trevor-devamanikkam/

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s (IICSA) report into the Anglican Church details the full case against the late Reverend Trevor Devamanikkam.

It states: "Trevor Devamanikkam was ordained in 1977 as a priest in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds. In March 1984, he moved to a parish in the Bradford diocese, where he remained until 1985. Devamanikkam retired in 1996 but between 2002 and 2009 had permission to officiate in the Diocese of Lincoln.

"Reverend Matthew Ineson is an ordained priest in the Church of England. During his teenage years, he had difficulties with his parents and went to live with his grandparents.55 His family were religious and attended church regularly. Matthew Ineson was a member of the church choir and an altar server. As his grandparents were struggling, a local priest organised a respite placement living with Reverend Devamanikkam."

The report states that in 1984, aged 16, Matthew Ineson went to live with Devamanikkam and his housekeeper. On his second night, Devamanikkam came into Matthew Ineson’s bedroom, put his hand underneath the covers touched him indecently. It continues: "When asked if he liked it, Matthew Ineson said no. This continued for two or three nights, and then progressed to Devamanikkam telling Matthew Ineson to share his bed with him. Devamanikkam made it plain that, if he did not do so, he would be thrown out of the vicarage and would have nowhere to go. While sharing a bed over a number of weeks, Devamanikkam raped Matthew Ineson at least 12 times and also sexually assaulted him."