The church of the late David Fletcher has stated it’s “deeply shocked” after the Church of England stated it had acquired info regarding its former rector “of sexual abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour … in direction of girls and ladies”.
Fletcher was Rector of St Ebbe’s, a number one evangelical church in Oxford, from 1986 to 1998, and was a member of the congregation till his loss of life three years in the past.
The Church of England’s Nationwide Safeguarding Group (NST) and the Diocese of Oxford acquired info relating to Fletcher following the publication final November of the Makin Assessment, which examined the Church of England’s failure to reply correctly to sadistic abuse dedicated by late Christian camp organiser John Smyth.
Commenting on the data it had acquired, the NST stated in a press release, “This has been reported to the police and was recorded as against the law.”
It continued, “We thank those that have bravely come ahead. Help has been supplied to them.
“Revd Fletcher’s household have been knowledgeable and assist has been supplied.”
Previous to turning into rector of St Ebbe’s, Fletcher led Smyth’s Iwerne camps in Dorset from 1967 to 1986. The Makin Assessment discovered that Smyth had used the camps as a approach to groom boys for abuse and that Fletcher had been instrumental in masking it up.
The assertion from the NST was issued after Channel 4 Information broadcast allegations by three girls that they have been sexually abused by Fletcher within the Nineteen Seventies and 80s.
St Ebbe’s has issued its personal assertion through which it stated it was “deeply shocked” and “immensely horrified” by their testimonies.
“They’ve been extremely courageous to share their testimony. We maintain all victims and survivors of abuse in our prayers, hoping profoundly for his or her therapeutic and restoration, and are praying very a lot for individuals who have come ahead and for all those that are most affected by this announcement,” it stated.
The church stated that in 2017 it had acquired stories from two girls of inappropriate behaviour by Fletcher, which have been referred to the Diocesan Safeguarding Group.
“No different considerations have been reported to St Ebbe’s in relation to him,” the assertion continued.
“Within the gentle of the 31:8 evaluation into the abuses of [David Fletcher’s brother] Jonathan Fletcher, the PCC performed a evaluation into our governance, together with safeguarding procedures, and a tradition evaluation.
“This has led to an ongoing strategy of cultural reflection; we’re additionally within the strategy of contemplating the teachings and proposals of the Makin Assessment.
“We’re dedicated to doing all we will to make St Ebbe’s a protected and wholesome group.”
The assertion was signed by present rector Vaughan Roberts, Parish Safeguarding Officer Niki Ridgway, and Churchwardens Greg Brisk and Suzanne Wilson-Higgins.
Anybody affected by the problems raised on this article can contact the Church of England Safeguarding Group, the Diocese of Oxford Safeguarding Group, or Secure Areas.
