By Sarah Rainey
The Telegraph
October 28, 2011
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8854832/Church-inquiry-after-official-convicted-of-paedophilia.html
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| The Bishop of Plymouth has ordered a high-level inquiry into child protection concerns in the South West of England Photo: ALAMY |
Christopher Jarvis, a former social worker, is due to be sentenced later today for the possession of 4,000 indecent images of children.
Jarvis, 49, worked as the child safeguarding officer for the Diocese of Plymouth, where he had been responsible for child protection matters at 120 churches and community groups for nine years.
Before his arrest, he was leading an investigation into allegations of historic sexual abuse at Buckfast Abbey in Devon.
The review has been ordered by the Rt Rev Christopher Budd, the Bishop of Plymouth, after concerns were raised over the church's handling of clerical sex abuse allegations.
Run by the NSPCC, it will cover child protection arrangements in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, the Times reports.
Bishop Budd has written to the victim in the Buckfast Abbey case to formally apologise for Jarvis's actions, according to the newspaper.
"I do understand that finding out Chris Jarvis had been viewing images of children being abused has left you feeling abused yet again," he wrote.
"He has betrayed your trust and that of many others with whom he has worked, both victims of previous abuse and indeed colleagues."
The review follows news that the Vatican has ordered a high-level inquiry into allegations of historic abuse at Ealing Abbey in west London and its school, St Benedict's.
It is believed that the latest development may lead to the inquiry being extended nationally.
Jarvis, a married father-of-four, is due to appear at Plymouth Crown Court for sentencing, after pleading guilty to 11 charges of making and possessing indecent images of children and one charge of distributing the images.
Ten of the photographs depicted the most extreme category of child abuse.
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