Former Bishop of Lewes to Face Two New Sex Abuse Charges

The Argus
July 14, 2014

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11339915.Former_Bishop_of_Lewes_to_face_two_new_sex_abuse_charges/

Former Bishop of Lewes to face two new sex abuse charges

A bishop will appear in court on further sex abuse charges after two new victims came forward accusing him of offences dating back 30 years.

Peter Ball will appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with two new offences alleged to have been carried out during his tenure as the Bishop of Lewes.

The 82 year-old, who now lives Aller in Somerset, will appear in court charged with an indecent assault on a man over 16 between 1990 and 1991 in Berwick and on a boy under 16 between 1984 and 1985 in Litlington near Seaford.

He is also set to appear at Lewes Crown Court on August 1 over charges of misconduct in public office between October 1977 and December 1992 by misusing his position and authority to “manipulate and prevail upon others for his own sexual gratification”.

He is also accused of indecent assault on a boy then aged between 12 and 13 in 1978 and an indecent assault on man aged 19 to 20 between 1980 and 1982 at Litlington.

The decisions by the Crown Proecution Service are as a result of Operation Dunhill, an investigation by Sussex Police detectives into information received from the Church of England in May 2012.

Also on August 1, fellow Church of England priest Vickery House will also appear in court.

The 68-year-old0, of Brighton Road in Handcross, faces eight charges of indecent assault on one boy then aged 15, and five men, ranging in age from 17 to 34 between 1970 and 1986 in East Sussex and Devon.