WALES
Wales Online
Jun 29, 2014 By Ciaran Jones
Material related to claims against high-ranking member destroyed ‘due to passage of time’
The Jehovah’s Witnesses destroyed allegations of child abuse and rape against a respected church elder, we can reveal today.
The church claims it disposed of evidence showing claims against paedophile Mark Sewell dating back more than 20 years.
Depraved Sewell, 53, faces a “very substantial” jail term after being found guilty on Friday of eight historic sex charges, including rape, between 1987 and 1995.
We can also today reveal how:
All but one of the fellow elders who investigated claims against the disgraced businessman, who was once an elder in the Barry congregation, declined to give evidence in his Crown Court trial;
The Jehovah’s Witnesses provided nothing to help the police and prosecutors in their investigation, despite “dis-fellowshipping” Sewell 20 years ago;
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