Anglican bishop Peter Ball jailed for historic sex offences

Peter Ball, the retired Anglican Bishop of Gloucester, has been jailed for 32 months for historic sex offences against 18 teenagers and young men.

Ball, 83, now of Langport in Somerset, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for the offences between 1977 and 1992.

He will serve half the term and then be released under licence, Mr Justice Wilkie said.

During the trial the court was told how Ball evaded justice after establishment figures, including cabinet ministers and a member of the royal family, sent letters of support. This influenced the decision not to prosecute Ball in 1993 when allegations first came to light.

At that time he was cautioned and given permission to continue to officiate as priest, which was extended for three years by then-Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey.

Following a church-initiated review of files a safeguarding officer at Lambeth Palace raised concerns about Ball’s case and referred it to Sussex Police in 2012. This led to a three-year investigation that involved Lambeth Palace, the Diocese of Chichester and Sussex Police.

In September, Ball admitted offences against teenagers and young men in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Bobbie Cheema, QC, for the prosecution, said that the bishop used religion as a “cloak” to satisfy his sexual interest. Paul Butler, lead bishop on safeguarding in the Church of England, said that Ball’s systematic abuse of trust was a matter of deep shame and regret.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has launched an independent review into the Church of England’s cooperation with the police and other statutory agencies, as well as how it responded to victims and the extent to which it assessed the possible risk Ball might pose to others.