Bishop escaped abuse charges after MPs and royal family intervened, court told

[unhappycamper]

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/07/bishop-peter-ball-escaped-charges-mps-royal-family-intervened-court

Peter Ball, former bishop of Lewes, sentenced to 32 months after admitting abuse of 18 young men between 1977 and 1992

Bishop escaped abuse charges after MPs and royal family intervened, court told
Sandra Laville
Wednesday 7 October 2015 06.53 EDT

MPs, a lord chief justice, a member of the royal family and public school headmasters all intervened to stop a bishop being prosecuted for sexual abuse 22 years ago, the Old Bailey has heard.

Former bishop Peter Ball was jailed for 32 months on Wednesday after admitting last month the sexual abuse of 18 young men between 1977 and 1992 when he was bishop of Lewes.

He will serve half the term and then be released on licence, Mr Justice Wilkie said. The judge said he had taken into account the harm he had caused his victims but also testimony from many who had written in support and described his exceptional character.

~snip~

The abuse suffered by the young men aged between 17 and 20 included attempts to whip and beat them, the court heard. Ball carried out re-baptisms in which he told the young men to strip naked and he was naked. One victim said he saw Ball as a “living Saint”.

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Predators like this should be locked up. Permanently.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. And there are 2 charges against children under 16 that remain on file

In all, the charges relate to 18 victims, excluding two counts of indecent assault on a boy of 12 or 13 and a 15-year-old youth, which were denied and will lie on file.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/06/sexual-abuse-victims-of-peter-ball-sue-church-of-england