Quotes
I spoke to one of Smyth’s victims, who told me that he still thinks about it every day,
she tells Hannah Moore
There is no evidence to suggest that Andrew Cornes took action to respond to this, he suggests that he thought the matter was being dealt with.’
The review says
Very possibly some other people should go.
On Wednesday, a bishop specialising in Church safeguarding admitted the CofE may not be ‘a safe institution’ and added_(Julie_Conalty_cropped).jpg)
We have this institutional problem where we are not putting victims and survivors at the center."
Julie Conalty, the Bishop of Birkenhead, who is second-in-command of the C of E's safeguarding committee, told the BBC
Smyth could have (been) brought to justice at a much earlier point
If it had told police what it knew, the report saidNow is the time for fresh thinking and generous Christianity,
she saidThere are countless other Anglican churchmen who equally bear responsibility.”
One said
This is about institutional changes, our culture and a systemic failure so there must be more that we need to do. Very possibly some of the people [criticised] should go.”
She told the BBCI am appalled by the abuse perpetrated by John Smyth and the trauma and pain experienced by the survivors. I had no idea of any detail of this at the time. I’ve learned a lot more about safeguarding since that time.”
She addedBecause I was advised that Ely was managing this case – including reporting to the police, and specifically asked that Lambeth did not make any direct contact – I did not take further action. With hindsight, I regret not verifying or querying these assertions.”
Asked about the criticism and calls for her to resign, she saidHe hadn’t, and he in hindsight was rather apologetic about that, because of what happened.”
The victim told the report’s authorsThe referral should have stood out as being remarkable – at least three victims were known of, with a further number (around five or six) having been referenced by a victim.”
The report saidShe saw exactly the same report [about Smyth’s abuse] that Welby saw and responded in the same way that he did. So the questions that applied to him which eventually brought him down, apply equally to her,
he saidNow is the time for a proper conversation about honesty, trust, transparency, independence and accountability when it comes to safeguarding and the Church of England, and I for one welcome that opportunity wholeheartedly,
she said
This resignation does not solve the church’s profound failure over safeguarding and the ongoing trauma caused to victims and survivors of church-related abuse, nor does it excuse others whose neglect of their duties is exposed by the Makin report,
Hartley said in a statementIt was my understanding that this matter was reported to the police in Cambridgeshire (in eastern England) and duly passed on to the police in Hampshire where the abuse had occurred,
Conway said
There have been great steps taken in the safeguarding of the church under his watch, but on this case, perhaps he relied too much on others."
Asked about Welby's omissions, Cottrell said
We ... know that some people pretty systematically covered this up, and that those people do need to be brought to account,
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, the second-most senior bishop in the Church of England, told BBC RadioOne of the boys had a chat with me
The church rector, the Rev Peter Sertin, later warns Mr Welby about Smyth, saying ... and advises him to stay away from SmythIt grieves us deeply that so many people suffered from the continued abuse of John Smyth over many years simply because the church's leadership covered up the abuse, did not uphold the moral teaching of the Bible and the church, and failed to defend the vulnerable,
Kaziimba said in the statement