John Smyth Review : ‘Brutal and horrific’ abuse within Church of England

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This week, a review into how the Church of England dealt with allegations against serial child abuser John Smyth was published.

Over five decades between the 1970s until his death, Smyth is said to have subjected as many as 130 boys and young men in the UK and Africa to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks.

The review, published the findings, which states that John Smyth was an appalling abuser of children and young men. His abuse was prolific, brutal and horrific. His victims were subjected to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks. These incidents of abuse often took place at religious Iwerne camps, aimed at boys attending UK private schools.

However, the review also found that despite efforts by individuals to bring to the attention of relevant authorities the scope and horror of Smyth’s conduct, including by victims and by some clergy, the steps taken by the Church of England and other organisations and individuals were ineffective and neither fully exposed nor prevented further abuse by him. This week, The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned over his handling of the John Smyth abuse case, after facing mounting pressure to step down.

Three members of the Church’s parliament, the General Synod, claim the archbishop was aware of Smyth’s crimes.

They accuse Welby of “allowing abuse to continue” during the five years between the start of his tenure as archbishop and Smyth’s death.

Keith Makin, who led the independent review, said: “The abuse at the hands of John Smyth was prolific and abhorrent. Words cannot adequately describe the horror of what transpired.

“Many of the victims who took the brave decision to speak to us about what they experienced have carried this abuse silently for more than 40 years. “Despite the efforts of some individuals to bring the abuse to the attention of authorities, the responses by the Church of England and others were wholly ineffective and amounted to a coverup.

“The Church and its associated organisations must learn from this review and implement robust safeguarding procedures across their organisations that are governed independently.

This has been a long process but a necessary one to uncover the extent of John Smyth’s despicable behaviour and how the Church reacted to it. “I would like to sincerely thank the victims for their courage, grace and dignity and I would like toremind everyone reporting on this review about their right to anonymity and privacy.”

Molly Frost, Abuse Claims Solicitor at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd said: “I have dealt with many, many cases involving abuse in the Church, but I am always still saddened to be reminded that organisational and institutional abuse is still so prolific. Anyone who has been abused within the Church of England may be able to claim compensation through the civil courts or alternatively through the Redress Scheme when this opens for applications”.

When did the abuse occur?

The first allegations were made against Mr Smyth in 1982 when an internal report by the Iwerne Trust referenced “horrific” beatings of boys and young men that left some of them bleeding.

Church officials were first made aware of the abuse at that stage when they received the results of the internal report. The most recent Makin Review found that the report’s recipients “participated in an active cover-up” to prevent its findings from coming to light.

Smyth’s abuse wasn’t made public until the Channel 4 documentary. When confronted by the channel, he said he was “not talking about what we did at all” and said some claims were “nonsense”.

He also subjected boys in Africa to abuse after setting up similar religious residential camps.

What should victims do now?

If you have been subject to abuse by John Smyth or any other person within a religious organisation, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your suffering – no matter how long ago it occurred. Oakwood Solicitors Ltd specialises in dealing with these types of claims, and can offer you a free initial consultation with our experts.

Church of England Redress Scheme

The Church of England is introducing a redress scheme for survivors of abuse within the Church.

The scheme is still in its developmental stages, with updates regularly being published. We will keep this page updated as further news about the scheme comes in.

It is predicted that monetary awards under the scheme could range from £5,000-£600,000.

The current proposals are for the scheme to have a four-stage framework:

· Stage 1 – Application assessed according to the type of abuse with awards ranging between £5,000-£150,000

· Stage 2 – Any aggravating factors will be considered, which could result in the stage one award being increased by up to 100%

· Stage 3 – The impact of the abuse on the applicant will be considered and could add between £10.000 and £250,000 the award

· Stage 4 – In rare circumstances, there may be a further 20% uplift

Will there be any other help available under the Church of England Redress Scheme?

Yes. The Church has indicated that along with monetary compensation, applicants may also be able to obtain:

· Therapeutic, spiritual and emotional support

· Acknowledgement of wrongdoing on the part of the Church

· An apology

How long will I have to claim under the scheme?

It is proposed that once the scheme opens it will run for a five-year period.

How can I claim even if the scheme is not yet open?

Whilst the Scheme is not yet open for applications, we are happy to advise you now and discuss your potential eligibility to claim compensation under the scheme.

We can get your case ready so as soon as the scheme opens we can put your application in promptly.

I suffered abuse within the Church but not the Church of England – can I still claim?

This scheme will specifically be for those who suffered abuse within the Anglican Church.

If you have suffered abuse within another religious organisation or setting, you may still be able to claim compensation and you can contact our specialist team for advice.

Why Should I Use Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?

At Oakwood Solicitors our team of seasoned legal experts are here to guide you through the best course of action for pursuing your claim.

With extensive experience and knowledge handling sensitive cases, we are committed to providing the support you need for a successful outcome.

We work on a No-Win, No-Fee basis, so you won’t pay any fees unless your claim is successful.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will manage your claim from start to finish, providing regular updates to ensure the process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.