Child abuse in Sussex: new laws 'essential' after decades of Church scandals

The Church in Sussex has been wracked by child abuse allegations over the years

Decades of child abuse and cover-ups in Sussex mean that tough new controls must be enforced to keep children safe, a top abuse lawyer has said.

The Church of England has been the centre of countless high profile scandals across the country and is currently subject of a national inquiry.

The Diocese of Chichester – which covers the whole of East and West Sussex – is being used as a case study.

Richard Scorer, who represents many abuse survivors at the inquiry, said the Church faces a ‘damning’ report on its failures.

Richard Scorer represents many survivors of clerical abuse in Sussex at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Picture: IICSA

He said: “Every diocese in the country has abuses of the kind that were there in the Diocese of Chichester.

“I think that the report will certainly be damning about safeguarding failures.”

‘Wilful blindness’ existed towards Church child abuse in Sussex, inquiry hears

The inquiry is due to publish a report into clerical abuse in the Anglican Church in Sussex in the next couple of months.

Former Bishop of Lewes Wallace Benn faced criticism over his handling of abuse allegations against priests in his area. Picture: IICSA

Mr Scorer says that tough new measures are needed to keep children safe in Sussex and the rest of the UK.

He called for not reporting child abuse to the police when you know or suspect it is occurring to be made a criminal offence.

The inquiry heard last year that a former Sussex bishop failed to report paedophile priests to authorities and may have gone so far as to actively protect them.

Call for Church volunteers to face background checks

Mr Scorer also addressed the large numbers of volunteers working in the Church in Sussex, and the problem that creates for safeguarding when they do not have background checks