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| Anger over Church abuse cover-up | Anger over Church abuse cover-up |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Campaigners have called the Church of England's failure to tell police about an ex-choirmaster who sexually abused children "totally irresponsible". | Campaigners have called the Church of England's failure to tell police about an ex-choirmaster who sexually abused children "totally irresponsible". |
| Peter Halliday, 61, from Farnborough, Hants, was jailed for 30 months after admitting sex offences from the 1980s. | Peter Halliday, 61, from Farnborough, Hants, was jailed for 30 months after admitting sex offences from the 1980s. |
| BBC News has learned he admitted the abuse 17 years ago, but left the Church quietly on condition he had no further contact with children. | BBC News has learned he admitted the abuse 17 years ago, but left the Church quietly on condition he had no further contact with children. |
| Church officials say they now have "robust" child protection policies. | Church officials say they now have "robust" child protection policies. |
| Halliday, who is married, was ordered to pay all three victims £2,000 each, after admitting to 10 counts of abuse at an earlier hearing at Winchester Crown Court. | Halliday, who is married, was ordered to pay all three victims £2,000 each, after admitting to 10 counts of abuse at an earlier hearing at Winchester Crown Court. |
| He abused the boys who were in his church choir between 1985 and 1990. | He abused the boys who were in his church choir between 1985 and 1990. |
| Judge Ian Pearson banned Halliday from working with children and said he would be put on the Sex Offenders Register, both for life. | Judge Ian Pearson banned Halliday from working with children and said he would be put on the Sex Offenders Register, both for life. |
| 'Duty of care' | 'Duty of care' |
| Bishop David Wilcox, who was among those to make the decision not to inform police of Halliday's behaviour, said it was a common way of dealing with such cases at the time. | Bishop David Wilcox, who was among those to make the decision not to inform police of Halliday's behaviour, said it was a common way of dealing with such cases at the time. |
| "I believe that we sought to act in the best interests - not only of the Church, but of the family and of everybody concerned at that time," he said. | "I believe that we sought to act in the best interests - not only of the Church, but of the family and of everybody concerned at that time," he said. |
| The Church can be seen to have done the best it could The Reverend Mark Rudall class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6596247.stm">Case divides opinion | |
| "Things were very different then. I think that we make the mistake of trying to read back what we now know and how we now do things." | "Things were very different then. I think that we make the mistake of trying to read back what we now know and how we now do things." |
| But the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service said the bishop's argument was a "red herring" and it was "well known even then" that such cases had to be reported to police. | But the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service said the bishop's argument was a "red herring" and it was "well known even then" that such cases had to be reported to police. |
| Anti-abuse campaigner Margaret Kennedy, of the Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors group, said the Church had a "duty of care" towards children. | Anti-abuse campaigner Margaret Kennedy, of the Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors group, said the Church had a "duty of care" towards children. |
| "You might have wanted to be pastorally caring for the individual victim - but that meant that this guy was out there for 16 years and it's totally irresponsible." | "You might have wanted to be pastorally caring for the individual victim - but that meant that this guy was out there for 16 years and it's totally irresponsible." |
| Dormitory abuse | Dormitory abuse |
| Det Sgt Alison Heydari, of Hampshire Police, said Halliday's actions had had a "devastating impact on his victims and their families". | Det Sgt Alison Heydari, of Hampshire Police, said Halliday's actions had had a "devastating impact on his victims and their families". |
| In 1990 a young chorister at St Peter's Church in Farnborough told his parents his choirmaster had abused him repeatedly during a period of several years, and he was not the only victim. | In 1990 a young chorister at St Peter's Church in Farnborough told his parents his choirmaster had abused him repeatedly during a period of several years, and he was not the only victim. |
| When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific One of Halliday's victims | When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific One of Halliday's victims |
| His parents told the vicar, who consulted the bishop - but rather than call the police the churchmen advised Halliday he should leave quietly and agree to have no more contact with young children. | His parents told the vicar, who consulted the bishop - but rather than call the police the churchmen advised Halliday he should leave quietly and agree to have no more contact with young children. |
| One of his victims, who was 10 years old at the time, told BBC News how Halliday abused him during individual tuition and also on choir trips. | One of his victims, who was 10 years old at the time, told BBC News how Halliday abused him during individual tuition and also on choir trips. |
| "It even happened when I was in dormitories with other boys," he said. | "It even happened when I was in dormitories with other boys," he said. |
| "I was horrified. When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific." | "I was horrified. When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific." |
| 'Robust policies' | 'Robust policies' |
| Halliday continued to work with young boys, as a singer with the Royal School of Church Music, which said the child abuse was "entirely unconnected" with the school. | Halliday continued to work with young boys, as a singer with the Royal School of Church Music, which said the child abuse was "entirely unconnected" with the school. |
| It was only when Halliday was charged last year with indecently assaulting children that he gave up his work with the school. | It was only when Halliday was charged last year with indecently assaulting children that he gave up his work with the school. |
| Church of England national safeguarding adviser, the Reverend Pearl Luxon, who is responsible for child protection issues, said the Church had "robust policies in place" to deal with child abuse. | Church of England national safeguarding adviser, the Reverend Pearl Luxon, who is responsible for child protection issues, said the Church had "robust policies in place" to deal with child abuse. |
| Child abuse lawyer Richard Scorer said the Church had not dealt very well with child protection until recent times, but that things were improving. | Child abuse lawyer Richard Scorer said the Church had not dealt very well with child protection until recent times, but that things were improving. |
| In a statement, the Church of England said it was committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children within the Church community. | In a statement, the Church of England said it was committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children within the Church community. |
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can contact us using the form below. Your message will not be published. | If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can contact us using the form below. Your message will not be published. |