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Retired bishop jailed for sex assaults Retired bishop Peter Ball jailed for sex assaults
(35 minutes later)
A retired Church of England bishop has been jailed for a string of offences against teenagers and young men.A retired Church of England bishop has been jailed for a string of offences against teenagers and young men.
Peter Ball, 83, was sentenced to 32 months for misconduct in a public office and 15 months for indecent assaults, to run concurrently. Peter Ball, 83, was sentenced to 32 months for misconduct in public office and 15 months for indecent assaults, to run concurrently.
The former Bishop of Lewes and Bishop of Gloucester used "religion as a cloak" to carry out the abuse between the 1970s and 1990s, the court heard.The former Bishop of Lewes and Bishop of Gloucester used "religion as a cloak" to carry out the abuse between the 1970s and 1990s, the court heard.
The Church of England said there were "no excuses".The Church of England said there were "no excuses".
Ball was described by the judge at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Wilkie, as a man who did "so much good and so much harm".Ball was described by the judge at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Wilkie, as a man who did "so much good and so much harm".
Bobbie Cheema QC, prosecuting, said: "He was highly regarded as a godly man who had a special affinity with young people." He told the disgraced clergyman he used his position of authority to "persuade selected individuals to commit or submit to acts of physical or sexual debasement under the guise of being part of their austere regime of devotion when they were not".
"What you did was the antithesis of what was expected of someone holding your office."
'Exploit vulnerable men'
Bobbie Cheema QC, prosecuting, said Ball was "highly regarded as a Godly man who had a special affinity with young people".
"The truth was that he used those 15 years in the position of bishop to identify, groom and exploit sensitive and vulnerable young men who came within his orbit.""The truth was that he used those 15 years in the position of bishop to identify, groom and exploit sensitive and vulnerable young men who came within his orbit."
"For him, religion was a cloak behind which he hid in order to satisfy his sexual interest in those who trusted him." "For him, religion was a cloak behind which he hid in order to satisfy his sexual interest in those who trusted him," she added.
Ball, now of Langport in Somerset, was Bishop of Lewes between 1977 and 1992 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1992 until his resignation the following year.Ball, now of Langport in Somerset, was Bishop of Lewes between 1977 and 1992 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1992 until his resignation the following year.
In September, he admitted offences against 18 teenagers and young men in the 1970s, 80s and 90s Last month he admitted offences against 18 teenagers and young men in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
Following the sentencing, the Church of England said "the systematic abuse of trust perpetrated" by Ball was a "matter of deep shame and regret".
"We apologise unreservedly to those survivors of Peter Ball's abuse and pay tribute to their bravery in coming forward and also the long wait for justice that they have endured."
"We also remember Neil Todd, whose bravery in 1992 enabled others to come forward but who took his own life before Peter Ball's conviction or sentencing."