Following the suspension of Jersey's Dean, Bob Key, we bring our readers the damming Report written for the Diocese of Winchester concerning the former.
The full Report can be downloaded from HERE. In the meantime we offer a few paragraphs that demonstrate "The Jersey Way" and a harrowing story of a (alleged) victim who looks to have been destroyed by "The Jersey Way" for daring to report abuse.
This vulnerable lady was let down by all in Jersey, including, it would appear, by the State Media. She was deported, by a Jersey court, where she was left penniless and destitute in England.
This is a truly disturbing case where the Report should be read in its entirety in order for readers to get a grasp of what this woman has been put through and how uncooperative the Dean appears to have been with this Review.......And the alleged victim.
Alleged victim "H.G."
Bob Key "R.K."
Page 9.
5 days later R.K responded from his deanofjersey work email account saying, “I have not been able to access my gov.je email for a few days so have only just found this”.This seems disingenuous as H.G. had not sent her email to that address. It implies that Dean R.K. had just discovered its contents whereas it is highly likely that he had already discussed it with other recipients, not least with Vicar
Page 17.
On the subject of requesting a church warden to relinquish his duties Dean R.K. expressed concern about how the people on Jersey would react. Later R.K. reported, “In Jersey there is a real feeling that suspending someone reverses the burden of proof in the public mind. Instead of our much cherished ‘innocent until proven guilty’, the suspended person becomes thought of (no matter what those in authority may say), as ‘Guilty until exonerated’
Page 23.
H.G. felt disbelieved and publicly humiliated. In reaction to her sense of getting no adequate response to any of the issues she raised she appealed to the higher authority of the Bishop, to Lambeth Palace, and to the media in the form of BBC Jersey, all to no effect. Following this she went on a much publicised offensive against any number of people connected to the Church.
Page 25.
Following this H.G. was arrested for breaking a harassment order, brought before the magistrate and as she had no money, was at that time of no fixed abode and appeared mentally distressed, she was remanded in custody.
Safeguarding Advisor J.F. records her concern at these extreme measures and worked at setting up care for her with the prison chaplain. She is shocked when on 11th October H.G. was bound over and summarily deported from the Island for three years and put on a plane with no-one to meet her, no planned accommodation and no money. J.F. wrote to Bishop Michael, “Whilst I don’t think this is our responsibility in that the court decision and action was not of our making, I do feel we have a basic responsibility, as we would have for anyone, to do all we can to ensure her wellbeing
Page 33.
There seems to be no spirit of willingness or inquiry in this matter. I found that some of the Island clergy had been actively discouraged by the Dean of Jersey from fully engaging with me and therefore complying with the Bishop’s request.
Page 37
However, as a result of the absence, or withholding, of records on Jersey and Dean R.K.’s resistance to co-operate with my requests, against the expressed desire of his Bishop, I have had to look more deeply into the possible reasons for this and comment upon whether there are disciplinary matters involved.
Page 37
The Church let H.G. down. Despite the difficulties of her background and disablement, and struggle with some everyday practicalities, H.G. was none-the-less in employment, pursuing hobbies, socializing and wanting to be accepted in the church community. Over the next three years H.G.’s life changed from having no history of being in trouble with the law, to having a police record and being a displaced person, homeless on the streets of the mainland.
Page 38.
Dean R.K. has not refuted H.G.’s description of their meeting. The only witness was Dean R.K.’s personal assistant who is his wife and she has refused to be interviewed for this Review.
Page 40.
Safeguarding Advisor J.F. described the annual training sessions on Safeguarding she had offered on Jersey over the past seven or eight years. She was not aware that the Dean of Jersey had attended at any time.(END)
How many more times are we going to have to read Reports like this before the people of Jersey are protected from "The Jersey Way?"
We urge our readers to read this Report in its entirety HERE.