Church apologises to Bishop Bell abuse victim

THE CHURCH of England has apologised for the sexual abuse of a child by a former Bishop of Chichester who was one of its leading figures in the twentieth century, writes Paul Wilkinson.

George Bell, who died in 1958, is said to have abused a young child in the 1940s and 1950s. The complaint was first raised in 1995, but not adequately investigated. However, the Church has now settled a claim with the victim and the current Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner, has sent a formal letter of apology to the survivor.

In a statement, the victim’s solicitor, Tracey Emmott, said that the letter of apology meant much more than any damages received and welcomed the “new culture of openness” within the Church.

Dr Warner paid tribute to the survivor’s courage in coming forward, expressed his “deep sorrow” and acknowledged that “the abuse of children is a devastating betrayal of trust”. Bell sat in the House of Lords and is remembered for his opposition to the bombing of German cities by the RAF towards the end of the Second World War. He is commemorated by the Church on 3 October. Earlier this month, Peter Ball, former Bishop of Lewes, was jailed for abusing 19 young men.