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Probe into leak of Prince Charles statement to Peter Ball abuse inquiry Probe into leak of Prince Charles statement to Peter Ball abuse inquiry
(about 1 hour later)
An inquiry into child sexual abuse in the Anglican Church is investigating a leak of a statement from the Prince of Wales about a disgraced former bishop. The chair of an inquiry into child sexual abuse in the Anglican Church is investigating how a statement from the Prince of Wales has been leaked.
The written statement about Peter Ball, to be read to the hearing on Friday, was reported in the media last week. His written statement about the now disgraced sexual predator and ex-bishop Peter Ball, is due to be read to the hearing on Friday.
Prof Alexis Jay, chairwoman of the independent inquiry, said "firm action" would be taken following the "very serious breach of confidence".
The ex-Bishop of Lewes and Gloucester was jailed in 2015 for sex offences.The ex-Bishop of Lewes and Gloucester was jailed in 2015 for sex offences.
Prof Alexis Jay, chair of the independent inquiry, said the leak was a very serious breach of confidence.
At the start of a series of hearings into how allegations against former bishop Ball were handled, Prof Jay said the leak was perpetrated by "someone with direct access to information in this investigation".At the start of a series of hearings into how allegations against former bishop Ball were handled, Prof Jay said the leak was perpetrated by "someone with direct access to information in this investigation".
She told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA): "I have already set in motion an investigation to identify the source of this leak and will take firm action to protect the integrity of the inquiry, should the source be identified."She told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA): "I have already set in motion an investigation to identify the source of this leak and will take firm action to protect the integrity of the inquiry, should the source be identified."
Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey will also give evidence, along with the Reverend Graham Sawyer, who was abused by Ball as a teenager and has waived his right to anonymity. Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey will also give evidence to the inquiry this week, along with the Reverend Graham Sawyer, who was abused by Ball as a teenager and has waived his right to anonymity.
Counsel to the inquiry Fiona Scolding QC told the first day of a week of hearings focusing on how the Church of England handled allegations against Ball that he had "influential friends, both within and outside the church".
She said Ball, now 86, and his brother, Michael, another former bishop, were "not shy" about using the Prince of Wales's name to influence others in the church.
Ms Scolding said his work with young people helped land him a number of posts in the church.
Ball, who was Bishop of Lewes, in East Sussex, between 1977 and 1992 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1992 until his resignation the following year, admitted a series of offences between the 1970s and 1990s against 18 teenaged boys and young men at a trial in October 2015.
He was released from prison in February 2017, having served half of his sentence.
Ms Scolding said: "To many people, the actions of the church and the police, in 1992 and subsequently, smacked of a cover-up: that those in high places had acted to hush up the offending, and that the church had been more concerned to restore Peter Ball to ministry than to identify, investigate or manage the needs of victims and survivors.
"Despite his caution, Peter Ball was not subject to any disciplinary measures by the Church until he was prohibited from ministry for life following his 2015 conviction."
'Power and charm'
Ms Scolding said Ball was not well enough to give evidence, either in person or by video link, but would be submitting two statements to the inquiry.
She said: "He was a very senior clergyman with enormous spiritual authority. He also had power and charm."
His power had been "further enhanced by his cultivation of influential friends, both within and outside the church".
She said the inquiry had been provided with details of allegations by 32 individuals relating to an abuse of power by Ball "for the purpose of his sexual gratification".
"A risk assessment carried out in 2009 identified that Peter Ball could be described as a sexual predator, given the length and scale of his offending."
The hearing continues.