Archbishop of Canterbury Apologises to Jersey's Dean for Abuse Probe
ITV
The Archbishop of Canterbury has formally apologised to the Dean of Jersey for years of "hurt" following an investigation into allegations of abuse in the church in the island. The Dean's handling of a complaint from a parishioner about abuse she claimed she suffered at the hands of a senior figure in the church was the subject of a formal investigation, and led to the breakdown of relations between the Jersey church and the Winchester Diocese to which it officially belongs. Jersey is currently being 'managed', instead, by the Bishop of Dover. Today, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby has written to Jersey's Bailiff, in which he acknowledges the "enormous personal stress hurt and uncertainty" suffered by Bob Key and his wife Daphne. It's also been confirmed that the investigation led by Dame Heather Steel is not being made public, and will not be made available to the Bailiff - against expectation. Instead it will feed into a wider review of safeguarding in the church in Jersey which is being carried out by Bishop John Gladwin, which has yet to be completed. The Dean has told ITV News he "warmly welcomed the sincere apology on behalf of the Church of England for the hurt and treatment we have received in he last three years". The Bishop of Winchester says he has apologised to the parishioner involved in the abuse claims. Last week, I sent a private apology to the survivor, regarding the abuse complaint she made in Jersey in 2008. I have offered to repeat my apology face-to-face, and to discuss the help and support we have available, although recognise fully that she may not want any of this. I have also apologised to the survivor that my efforts over the last few years in investigating her case have caused her further distress. This was never my intention. Therefore, I have given her my assurances that, when I do come to consider recommendations from the Visitation and how to act upon them, I will only focus on broader safeguarding practices and not cite this particular case. I have similarly promised that further details from the Steel Investigation will not be published. – BISHOP OF WINCHESTER Last updated Thu 19 May 2016
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