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Former bishop admits sexually abusing young men
By Sandra Laville
A former Church of England bishop has admitted sexually abusing more than 20 young men decades after his victims first complained. Peter Ball, the former bishop of Lewes and Gloucester, pleaded guilty on Tuesday morning to two counts of indecent assault relating to two young men and one charge of misconduct in public office, which relates to the sexual abuse of 19 young men over a period of 15 years from 1977 to 1992. Ball, 83, has connections to Prince Charles, whom he has described in the past as “a loyal friend”. At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service two charges of indecently assaulting two boys in their early teens to lie on file. The deal, hammered out in secret with CPS lawyers, means Ball will not face trial on perhaps the most serious alleged offences, which involved boys aged 13 and 15. Bobbie Cheema QC, for the crown, told the Old Bailey in London there had been a great deal of communication between prosecutors and the defence that had resulted in the pleas. Cheema said as a result of the guilty pleas, the Crown felt a trial on the remaining charges would not be in the public interest. Following Tuesday’s pleas, it can now be revealed how prosecutors and the police – with the knowledge of the then archbishop of Canterbury George Carey – allowed Ball to escape criminal charges when allegations against him first arose 22 years ago. When victims came forward in 1993 to say they had been abused, a flurry of conversations were held between police, prosecutors and the church before it was decided to caution the bishop rather than charge him. This was despite what the CPS lawyers said was “sufficient admissible, substantial and reliable evidence” of indecent assault and gross indecency. Evidence was given at an earlier court hearing that a police officer involved in the case reassured Ball in 1993 by saying: “Bishop, this is all over.” It was not until 2012, after several inquiries, when the Church of England finally released documents to the police – that he was arrested and charged with misconduct in public office, relating to the sexual abuse of up to 19 victims, and four counts of indecent assault against four young men. Ball was as enthroned as the bishop of Gloucester in 1991, in a ceremony attended by Prince Charles. Ball resigned in 1993 and moved to Manor Lodge, in the Somerset village of Aller. The wisteria-clad property is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the private estate headed by Charles. At the time, Ball said: “[Charles] has been wonderfully kind and allowed me to have a duchy house. The prince is a loyal friend. I have immense admiration for him, he has been through horrific times and is a great person.” Ball appeared at the Old Bailey in London via video link from Taunton magistrates court on Tuesday to plead guilty in a shaky voice to the charge of misconduct in public office and the two counts of indecent assault. But for the two youngest complainants – who allege they were abused at the age of 13 and 15 – his negotiations with the CPS mean they will never have their cases heard. Cheema said the two charges of indecent assault relating to their allegations will lie on file and the victims had been informed. Ball will be sentenced on 7 October. Det Ch Insp Carwyn Hughes, who led the three-year Sussex police inquiry into Ball, said: “This has been one of the most complex investigations I have carried out. We have had to get through so many legal hurdles to get here. “[Ball] was a manipulative man. Under a cloak of fraudulent Christianity he groomed and manipulated people into positions where he could exploit them for his own sexual gratification.”
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