Safeguarding

Please read our safeguarding update which includes the closure of out of hours on-call services and appointment of new Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel Chair

Update 1 April 2024

A Safeguarding Practice Review (SPR) has been jointly commissioned by the National Safeguarding Team and the Dioceses of Chelmsford and Southwark to look at the lessons to be learnt from the Church’s handling of the David Tudor case.

David Tudor, a former Rector in Chelmsford Diocese, was prohibited from ministry for life in October 2024 following two complaints under the Clergy Discipline Measure.  The penalty imposed followed a full admission of guilt to disclosures of serious sexual abuse from the two complainants, relating to the time when he was a priest in the Diocese of Southwark.

The Bishop of Southwark, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, welcomed the Review saying, “This much-needed Safeguarding Practice Review will help us to understand and learn from the past so that we may strengthen our safeguarding work for the future. As a diocese, we are committed to engaging fully with the Review and we will take any recommendations it makes very seriously.”

As the House of Bishops guidance (Code) states, a SPR is a process to improve safeguarding practice through learning, particularly outcomes for victims and survivors. It is not a re-investigation of the case but if the review highlights serious safeguarding concerns relating to the practice of others then appropriate action will be taken under the Responding guidance.

The SPR will examine the allegations against David Tudor, how the Church handled them over a long period of time and how it responded to victims and survivors. The reviewer will then apply the learning from this to improve practice and safeguarding arrangements in the Church of England, these findings will be contained in the final report which will be published.

As per guidance an independent reviewer with relevant expertise and experience has been appointed.  Sue Williams, a former Commander in the Met Police has now started work, and the Terms of Reference have been agreed with the advisory group overseeing the process, made up of safeguarding professionals, an independent panel member and includes input from victims and survivors. Sue Williams will be assisted by former senior police officer Richard Norfolk.

SPRs, formerly known as lessons learnt reviews, were set up under the new Safeguarding Code of Practice approved at General Synod in July 2023.

Support continues to be offered to those who have come forward.

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The Revd David Tudor, Team Rector of Canvey Island in the Diocese of Chelmsford, has been removed from office and prohibited from ministry for life following a decision of The Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for The Diocese of Southwark which sat on 28 and 29 October 2024. Mr Tudor had been Team Rector of Canvey Island since 2000.

The Tribunal examined two complaints against Mr Tudor under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 relating to his time as a priest in the Diocese of Southwark in the 1980s. The Tribunal accepted his admissions and judged them to be conduct unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a Clerk in Holy Orders.

In response to the judgment, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark, said:

“The behaviours admitted by David Tudor indicate a serious and damaging breach of his pastoral and professional obligations as a priest and I would like to apologise unreservedly for the pain and trauma that his actions have caused. I am deeply grateful for those who have had the courage to share their experiences and engage with this long and difficult process.

“It is very clear to us now that the practice and procedures in place in the Church in the 1980s and 1990s were neither sufficiently robust nor survivor-focussed – and that decisions were taken that left open the possibility of further harm being caused by David Tudor. We deeply regret this and we give thanks that things have changed dramatically, both in our Church and in wider society.

“Our safeguarding team and others have worked hard for many months to bring David Tudor to tribunal and prohibit him from ministry for life. While this cannot erase the mistakes of the past, we hope that it will be of some comfort to survivors that he can no longer operate as a Church of England minister. Full support is being offered to all those affected by this matter and we ask that people respect their privacy and pray for them during this difficult time.”

Bishop Christopher has offered to meet with those survivors affected by the tribunal and that offer remains open for any survivor affected by David Tudor’s behaviour.

Details of the Tribunal have been published on the Church of England website.

“Full support is being offered to all those affected by this matter and we ask that people respect their privacy and pray for them during this difficult time.”

Support

If anyone has a concern about this situation – or any safeguarding matter – list of people and organisations that can offer support is below:

• Diocese of Southwark Safeguarding Team

[email protected]
0207 939 9441 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)

• Safe Spaces
  A free and independent national helpline run by First Light for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with the church
• Thirtyone:eight
  An independent, non-denominational Christian safeguarding charity providing a wide range of support including an open-access helpline
  0303 003 1111
• Survivors Voices
  A survivor-led organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith-based abuse.

A fuller list of support organisations can be found on the Church of England website here.

30 October 2024

On 25 February 2025, the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team announced the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin Review, published in November 2024.

This process has explored whether those named present any immediate risk and whether there is a case for disciplinary proceedings for clergy, under the Clergy Discipline Measure. This has been undertaken in line with the process announced in December with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.

Following this, the National Safeguarding Team will now seek to bring disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure against a number of those named in the report, including the Revd Paul Perkin, who is currently serving as Team Vicar at St Andrew’s Limpsfield Chart.

The advice that we have received in the Diocese of Southwark from the National Safeguarding Team is that Paul Perkin does not present a current safeguarding risk. A further risk assessment has also reached the same conclusion. Mr Perkin therefore remains in post for the time being and is due to retire at the end of March 2025.

While the present work can never undo the harm experienced by John Smyth’s victims and survivors, as a diocese we remain committed to reflecting on the learnings from the Makin Review and how these might shape our safeguarding practices – and, most importantly, the ways in which we seek to respond to, and work with, survivors of abuse. The announcement today signals another step on this journey, but we recognise that there is still a long way to go and much to learn.

Support

If anyone has a concern about this situation – or any safeguarding matter – list of people and organisations that can offer support is below:

• Diocese of Southwark Safeguarding Team
  [email protected]
  0207 939 9441 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)

• Safe Spaces
  A free and independent national helpline run by First Light for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with the church
• Thirtyone:eight
  An independent, non-denominational Christian safeguarding charity providing a wide range of support including an open-access helpline
  0303 003 1111
• Survivors Voices
  A survivor-led organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith-based abuse.

A fuller list of support organisations can be found on the Church of England website here.

25 February 2025

On Monday 25 November, Andrew Wilson, who served as Director of Music at St Mary’s Beddington in the early 2000s appeared at Croydon Crown Court charged with 11 counts of non-recent sexual abuse of children. Mr Wilson pleaded ‘guilty’ to all of these offences. Mr Wilson was already serving time in prison for similar offences and – at a hearing on Friday 24 January 2025 – he was sentenced to a further twelve years in prison.
We would like to pay tribute to Mr Wilson’s victims and their loved ones for having the courage to tell their stories. We are deeply sorry for their suffering and are engaging to offer support to all those affected by this matter.

In 2019, Mr Wilson was jailed for 12 years at Lewes Crown Court for non-recent sexual abuse and indecent images of children. His convictions related to offences committed whilst in his role as Director of Music and organist at both St Margaret’s Warnham 1980s (Diocese of Chichester) and St Mary’s Beddington (Diocese of Southwark). At the time of imprisonment, Mr Wilson was registered as a sex offender for life and handed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Support

If anyone has a concern about this situation – or any safeguarding matter – list of people and organisations that can offer support is below:

• Diocese of Southwark Safeguarding Team
  [email protected]
  0207 939 9441 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)

• Safe Spaces
  A free and independent national helpline run by First Light for anyone who has been abused through their relationship with the church
• Thirtyone:eight
  An independent, non-denominational Christian safeguarding charity providing a wide range of support including an open-access helpline
  0303 003 1111
• Survivors Voices
  A survivor-led organisation that runs peer support groups for victim-survivors of all kinds of abuse, including faith-based abuse.

A fuller list of support organisations can be found on the Church of England website here.

24 January 2025

A review of the Church’s handling of allegations of serious abuse carried out over a period of 40 years by the late John Smyth has been published. The independent learning lessons review was led by Keith Makin.

The Review describes the experiences of victims and survivors of John Smyth’s abuse, the actions of Church participants to identify good practice and failings in the handling of the allegations relating to Smyth. It answers the questions set out in the Terms of Reference, makes criticisms of organisations and individuals, and reaches decisive conclusions about the lapses and failings that enabled Smyth to commit sickening abuse.

The Church is grateful to all those who have had the courage to contribute to this review – and recognises that this will have been difficult and costly for them. We commend them for their bravery, grace and dignity in speaking out. Our prayers are with everyone affected by this matter.

We will carefully take time to reflect on the review’s findings, the criticisms detailed in the report and the lessons that must be learned by the whole Church.

The Church of England’s statement in response to the review has been published here.

The full review can be read here.

Should anyone wish to share a Safeguarding concern or need support, they can contact our Safeguarding team on 020 7939 9444 (office hours) or visit the Safe Spaces website.

On Monday 12 August 2024, The Revd Jonathan Fletcher appeared at Kingston Crown Court charged with eight counts of Indecent Assault on a man aged 16 or over and one further count of Section 18 Grievous Bodily Harm with Intent.

Mr Fletcher has pleaded ‘not guilty’ to these alleged crimes and the case has been referred for trial at a later date on Monday 30 June 2025.

Jonathan Fletcher retired as minister of Emmanuel Church Wimbledon proprietary chapel in 2012. Mr Fletcher has not held permission to officiate in the Diocese of Southwark since 2017 and currently is not authorised to minister in the Church of England.

The Diocesan Safeguarding team continues to offer support to those affected by this matter and has liaised with the police in the course of their investigations.

A Statement from Bishop Christopher

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our independent reviewers, PCR2 Reference Group which includes survivors representatives, Chris Smart who chairs our Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel for all their hard work and professionalism that has been a real hallmark.

I also wish to extend my thanks to the survivors who contributed to the report. Their input enabled Reviewers to make recommendations to the Diocese going forward in plans for survivor engagement.

We remain committed to learning from the national report and our own diocesan report so that we can embed best practice and continue to listen carefully to our survivors and all those impacted by past cases.

Here is the the PCR2 Executive Summary to download:

Download the PCR2 Executive Summary

Follow this link to the national report and press release

“We sincerely apologise for our failures and want to reach out to those who are still suffering from the pain and misery they endured. We extend this apology to wider family members affected from this past abuse. We are so sorry that this ever happened. It was not your fault and you are not to blame. We should have been better at listening and responding to survivors’ and victims’ concerns. Our faith compels us to take safeguarding with the utmost seriousness; to prevent abuse from occurring; responding appropriately where it has in support of our undertaking to making church communities and institutions safer places.”

Follow this link to the full apology 

Statement from Southwark Cathedral: 

Clive McCleester, a former senior employee of Southwark Cathedral has pleaded guilty today on charges of safeguarding offences which took place in the 1980s.

Mr McCleester’s crimes are a grievous breach of trust, which will have life-long effects.

We would like to offer a full and unreserved apology to all those affected by this matter and we commend the bravery of those who brought this to light, acknowledging how difficult and distressing this would have been.

We are profoundly sorry for the abuse perpetrated by Mr McCleester and are committed to doing everything possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults, who look to us for respect and care.

We have cooperated fully with the police in the course of their investigations. The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is our highest priority and we continually monitor our practice and processes to ensure that safeguarding remains at the heart of everything we do. The Cathedral’s Social Care Institute for Excellence audit undertaken in 2020 was positive about our safeguarding work – nevertheless, we recognise that there is always more to learn, more to be done to ensure the safety of all those with whom we have contact.

Should anyone wish to share a Safeguarding concern or need support, they can contact our Safeguarding team on 020 7939 9444 (office hours) or visit the Safe Spaces website. Our prayers are with everyone affected by this matter.

26 June 2023

The Diocese of Southwark welcomes the independent reviewer’s Learning Lessons Case Review into the Church of England’s handling of the allegations against the late Graham Gregory. We will be looking at the recommendations closely with a view to full implementation. We apologise for the further harm caused to survivors by our failure to act appropriately. We accept that the timeliness of our communications and our processes for responding to concerns has needed improvement. In the years since then work has already been undertaken to improve our processes, including the introduction of a case management system and strict protocols for escalations and internal communications of safeguarding matters with a particular focus on the needs of survivors.

This case involved five Dioceses, including the Diocese of Southwark and it is Church of England policy that where a case involves more than one Diocese it is dealt with by the National Safeguarding Team who has also been engaging with those affected. This independent Review was therefore commissioned by the National Safeguarding Team of the Church of England.

Here is a link to the report: https://www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/press-releases/graham-gregory-lessons-learnt-review

Should you be affected by issues raised in this report, please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding team on 020 7939 9423 (office hours)

Bishop Christopher has committed the Diocese of Southwark to taking to heart and acting upon the very necessary lessons to be learned from the IICSA report published on Tuesday 6 October 2020. In order to ensure that the Diocese does all that it can to create a safe church and learn from those who have been wronged he has created a small review group to consider the recommendations of the report and how best to take the work forward in the Diocese.

Bishop Christopher commends the Executive Summary of the Report which can be found at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/publications/investigation/anglican-church/executive-summary

The full IICSA Report can be found at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/document/anglican-church-safeguarding-church-england-and-church-wales-investigation-report

For further information and to discuss any safeguarding concerns please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser on: 020 7939 9423 (office hours)