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| Church accused of abuse cover-up | Church accused of abuse cover-up |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Church of England has been accused of covering up child sex abuse carried out by a former choirmaster. | The Church of England has been accused of covering up child sex abuse carried out by a former choirmaster. |
| Peter Halliday was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing boys in Hampshire in the late 1980s. | |
| BBC News has learned he admitted to the offences 17 years ago but left the Church quietly on condition he had no more contact with children. | BBC News has learned he admitted to the offences 17 years ago but left the Church quietly on condition he had no more contact with children. |
| The Church of England said it now had "robust policies" child abuse policies. | |
| Dormitory abuse | Dormitory abuse |
| Halliday was also ordered to pay all three victims £2,000 each, after admitting to 10 counts of abuse at an earlier hearing at Winchester Crown Court. | |
| The bishop who dealt with the case told BBC News it would have been dealt with differently if it had happened today. | The bishop who dealt with the case told BBC News it would have been dealt with differently if it had happened today. |
| In 1990 a young chorister at St Peter's Church, 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, Farnborough, told his parents his choirmaster had abused him repeatedly during a period of several years, and he was not the only victim. |
| 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. |
| When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific One of the boys Halliday abused | When your first sexual experience is a 40-year-old man forcing himself on you it's pretty horrific One of the boys Halliday abused |
| One of the boys Halliday abused, who was 10 years old at the time, told BBC News: "It was both when I was alone with him and there were others there. | One of the boys Halliday abused, who was 10 years old at the time, told BBC News: "It was both when I was alone with him and there were others there. |
| "It happened in his house when I was alone with him having individual tuition, but it also happened on trips. It even happened when I was in dormitories with other boys. | "It happened in his house when I was alone with him having individual tuition, but it also happened on trips. It even happened when I was in dormitories with other boys. |
| "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." |
| Terrified victim | Terrified victim |
| He thought he had escaped Halliday when the choirmaster left his job in 1990, but he met him again in 1993 on a residential music course where young choirboys were staying. | He thought he had escaped Halliday when the choirmaster left his job in 1990, but he met him again in 1993 on a residential music course where young choirboys were staying. |
| The victim said: "I went on a residential course and he was there and obviously it was pretty horrific to see him again. | The victim said: "I went on a residential course and he was there and obviously it was pretty horrific to see him again. |
| Things were very different then Bishop David Wilcox | Things were very different then Bishop David Wilcox |
| "I was just aghast to see him there. Younger brothers of friends of mine were there. Other friends were there. I was scared for myself but also terrified for them." | "I was just aghast to see him there. Younger brothers of friends of mine were there. Other friends were there. I was scared for myself but also terrified for them." |
| The bishop, David Wilcox, said they had sought to act in the best interests not only of the Church but of the family and everybody concerned at the time. | The bishop, David Wilcox, said they had sought to act in the best interests not only of the Church but of the family and everybody concerned at the time. |
| He told BBC News: "Things were very different then and I think that we make the mistake of trying to read back what we now know and how we would now do things. | He told BBC News: "Things were very different then and I think that we make the mistake of trying to read back what we now know and how we would now do things. |
| "I don't think we had that knowledge or that experience and I don't think the court systems and the police systems were geared up as they are today." | "I don't think we had that knowledge or that experience and I don't think the court systems and the police systems were geared up as they are today." |
| 'Robust policies' | 'Robust policies' |
| Halliday continued to work with young boys, as a singer with the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). | Halliday continued to work with young boys, as a singer with the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM). |
| In a statement, the RSCM said the child abuse was "entirely unconnected" with the school. | In a statement, the RSCM said the child abuse was "entirely unconnected" with the school. |
| "We have policies and procedures in place which accord with the best practice in child protection and safety and continue to monitor, review and update these regularly," it said. | "We have policies and procedures in place which accord with the best practice in child protection and safety and continue to monitor, review and update these regularly," it said. |
| 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. |
| They've always had this attitude of dealing with allegations internally Richard ScorerChild abuse lawyer | They've always had this attitude of dealing with allegations internally Richard ScorerChild abuse lawyer |
| 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". | 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". |
| She said: "In the past practices varied and we would not react in the way we would have appeared to have done then. | She said: "In the past practices varied and we would not react in the way we would have appeared to have done then. |
| "Police and social services would be told of the matters immediately nowadays if these things occurred. | "Police and social services would be told of the matters immediately nowadays if these things occurred. |
| "These matters are always reviewed after they occur and we learn from our mistakes and our good practice is improved at all stages when these matters are looked at." | "These matters are always reviewed after they occur and we learn from our mistakes and our good practice is improved at all stages when these matters are looked at." |
| 'Better systems' | 'Better systems' |
| Child abuse lawyer Richard Scorer said things were improving in the Church. | Child abuse lawyer Richard Scorer said things were improving in the Church. |
| He said: "The Churches, both Catholic and Anglican, have not dealt well with child protection, certainly until very recent times. | He said: "The Churches, both Catholic and Anglican, have not dealt well with child protection, certainly until very recent times. |
| "They've always had this attitude of dealing with allegations internally. I think that is changing but it has been a problem for many years. | "They've always had this attitude of dealing with allegations internally. I think that is changing but it has been a problem for many years. |
| He added: "Things are changing within the Churches in terms of child protection. Better systems are in place." | He added: "Things are changing within the Churches in terms of child protection. Better systems are in place." |
| 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. |