Bishop of Chichester Apologises to Abuse Victim

Chichester People
April 24, 2013

http://www.chichesterpeople.co.uk/Bishop-Chichester-apologises-abuse-victim/story-18789934-detail/story.html

Ths Bishop of Chichester has this month apologised to a child abuse victim in the US

In a letter of apology to a victim, who now lives in the US, Dr Martin Warner, the Bishop of Chichester who took up the post last year, said there had been "deception and cover-up" at his diocese and conceded there had been an "ineptitude and irresponsible lack of professionalism."

Former choirboy Gary Johnson, who has waved his anonymity, and his older brother, both from Eastbourne, were abused by Roy Cotton, who worked for the Diocese of Chichester, during the 1970s and 1980s.

The diocese is embroiled in a number of historical clerical sex abuse claims and its child protection policies are the subject of an official inquiry set up by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

In the private letter, received by Mr johnson earlier this month, he said: "I am deeply ashamed of the way that you have been treated by us.

"The violation of your dignity in a gross act of betrayal is in itself a terrible crime.

"The failures on our part to own up to the seriousness of what happened - to look you in the eye and admit the truth - have compounded the first by a series of subsequent betrayals over a prolonged period of your life."

Dr Warner added it is "not enough to say sorry.

"However, it is a start and I hope that even at this late stage, you will accept this letter as a genuine statement of apology."

Cotton was ordained in 1966, despite having a conviction for sexually abusing a choirboy in the 1950s, and went on to abuse at least 10 boys from Eastbourne. He died in 2006 whilst investigations were under way.