By Andy Fenwick Worcester Labour Party
The media has had a righteous time in its disclosure of Prince Andrew and his association with a paedophile, but he is not the only one. A BBC documentary Exposed: the church’s darkest secret has opened up a past that Prince Charles would like us to forget.
The documentary is the story of individuals who were sexually abused by Church of England clergy. Young men tell of their childhood corrupted by Bishop Peter Ball, and as one of the men says “it was so evil I wish I would die”. For decades they fought the British Establishment to reveal an extraordinary truth, but the Church hierarchy, members of the House of Lords, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service all closed ranks to prevent justice. At the heart of this conspiracy was Prince Charles, the lynch-pin who not only was a friend of Bishop Peter Ball but who sought to influence the outcome of any investigation.
As Bishop of Lewis, Peter Ball set up a home, an essentially ‘spiritual’ monastic set-up, which at its height it had 24 young men staying. Peter Ball was marked out as a rising star of the Church Establishment, but it was his other contacts that would protect him later on, those with whom he had spent years ingratiating himself.
Paul and the Bishop exchanged letters
He cultivated friendships with Margret Thatcher, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, a senior law lord, Tim Renton MP Chief Whip in John Major’s government, and even the Queen Mother. But most important was his relationship with Prince Charles. Peter Ball was a regular visitor to Highgrove to say prayers with Charles and they exchanged letters. He used this friendship to influence other members of the Establishment, among them the Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey. Peter ball courted people in public office and was to rely on these bonds later on.
The boys who attended Ball’s monastic training were vulnerable young men some aged only 17, typically the lonely outsider who was made to feel lucky to be picked. But as one survivor stated “we were ripe”. These boys would stay with Ball for a year at least, so he had time to groom them and weaken their confidence to ensure that the secrets of the Bishop did not become known.
In fact, he self-promoted on the Terry Wogan TV show so much that people describe him as a living saint. Under all of the façade Ball used God as his tool to abuse boys. If a suggestion was turned down, then, as a survivor states, “I would not be as good as those other holy people, I wouldn’t be Christ-like if I didn’t do those things”. Ball’s methods put guilt onto the young boys, who were made to feel that they had let Christ down.
In 1992, after Ball was refused the Bishopric of Norwich as the diocese would not tolerate adolescent boys in the Bishop’s house, Ball used his political connections and 10 Downing Street to be appointed as Bishop of Gloucester. His enthronement was attended by Prince Charles, the first time the Prince of Wales had attended the enthronement of a bishop.
Church suppressed complaints of abuse
In July 1992, Ball invited Neil Todd to live with him and train to become a monk. Described as a very timid young man of 17, Neil formed a friendship with Mr and Mrs Moss, the housekeeper and the gardener at the Bishop’s house. It was due to this friendship that Neil felt able to tell what was going on with the Bishop. He would not go to the police, but the couple decided that it should be passed up to hierarchy of the church to Bishop John Yates, Head of the Archbishops of Canterbury’s staff.
The Church sat on this information and did nothing, even though promises were made to tidy up the mess. Despite Mr and Mrs Moss informing senior clergy about Peter Ball’s abusive behaviour, the Church took no action. Rather than keep the confidence of the couple, someone in the Church hierarchy had reported back to Ball who made a covert threat to Mr Moss. Neil moved to a religious community in London, where he again reported the abuse to senior bishops. The Church failed to take action and did not support Neil
Neil was in so much despair that he took an overdose and was taken to hospital, but the Church did not tell his parents. His father only found out five days later, when he got a distraught phone call from his son.
With the help of his parents, Neil was able to go to the police and make a complaint of sexual abuse. Whilst taking a statement from Neil the police officer was telephoned to be informed that Archbishop Carey was taking an interest in this case. It is not every day you get a telephone call from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Many more parents wrote letters of complaint
“It is extraordinary that on the very first day of police involvement…he rings the head of the Met police” as a retired police officer states “This can only be the Establishment working out ways to stifle it”
The officer promised that there would be no cover up and the police arrested Peter Ball. After a ‘No Comment’ interview, he then tried to cast the blame onto Neil and used theological justifications for his actions. Ball was released on bail.
Once the press got to know and published the story, almost immediately more letters from parents were sent to Lambeth Palace about their adolescent sons who had been abused by Ball. None of these letters were handed over to the police.
Archbishop Carey wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the chief constable of Gloucestershire police, supporting Ball and saying that he was suffering “excruciating pain and spiritual torment”. Lambeth Palace moved into action, in other words, to influence the investigation. Bishops even phoned chaplains at universities to put pressure on victims to withdraw statements of abuse.
Abuser was not prosecuted
The investigation came under pressure from MPs, peers and judges, all trying to influence the outcome. In March 1993, Gloucestershire Police were advised that the CPS was not to press charges. Peter Ball was not prosecuted, but instead accepted a caution and resigned. However, within two years, he was allowed to lead Church services again.
It was clear that even after his caution his friendship with Prince Charles continued in private sessions at Highgrove. Charles and Ball exchanged letters “I feel so desperately strong about the monstrous wrongs that have been done to you and the way you have been treated” said a letter from Charles to Ball 1995. In June 1996, Charles wrote to Ball, “I pray that the Duchy will be able to find something suitable for you both in due course but it may take a little time to locate it. I long to see you both settled somewhere that suits you and gives you peace and tranquillity” Prince Charles not only bought a house for Ball, but gave him money.
In another letter, Charles used strange language that might come from a gangster movie “I can’t bear it that the frightful, terrifying man is on the loose again and doing his worst. I was visiting the vicar and he told me that he’d heard that this ghastly man was up to his dastardly ticks again. I’ll see off this horrid man if he tries anything again”
Charles had a big favour to ask the Church
Charles’s defence was that he did not know of the extent and the true nature of Ball’s activities, but this cannot be taken seriously. With his whole entourage, his police protection officers and his contacts with the Lambeth Palace, Charles knew exactly what Ball was up to. The Establishment is closely connected and Charles had a big favour to ask of the Church of England, not to stand in his way when he divorced Diana to marry Camilla, breaking Church laws on divorce, which should have prevented him from becoming to the Head of the Church of England.
This quid pro quo relationship that the Establishment has leads to corruption and the keeping of grubby secrets. The Church, the Judiciary, the Royals are all intertwined with the access to Eton and Harrow public schools and by a thousand other links, the Establishment maintain their privilege and entitlement. This story is only the tip of an iceberg that runs deep in society. Privilege is a burden that ordinary workers have to suffer from and it is time it was removed from our lives.
The ProgrammeExposed: the church’s darkest secret is still available on BBC i-player
January 17, 2020
