Ex-Bishop Jailed Over Sex Abuse Of Young Men

A former bishop of Lewes and Gloucester has been jailed for 32 months at the Old Bailey for sexually abusing aspiring priests over a period of 15 years.

Following his sentence, Lord Carey, who was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time of the abuse, issued an apology but denied he had presided over a "cover-up".

He said: "I greatly regret the fact that, during my tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury, we dealt inadequately with Peter Ball's victims and gave too much credence to his protestations."

The Church of England also issued an "unreserved apology", saying: "There are no excuses whatsoever for what took place and the systematic abuse of trust perpetrated by Peter Ball over decades."

The Old Bailey heard Ball, 83, had used a host of establishment figures including "MPs, former public school headmasters, JP's" and a member of the royal family to escape prosecution.

Last month, he pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office after a last-ditch attempt to get the case thrown out failed.

He also admitted indecently assaulting two men in their late teens between 1980 and 1983 and between 1990 and 1991.

However, he denied two other counts of indecent assault on a boy of 12 or 13 and a 15-year-old youth and these charges will remain on file.

Prosecutor Bobbie Cheema QC said Ball used his position to "identify, groom and exploit" 18 "vulnerable young men" when they came to his home in Litlington, East Sussex.

Many were teenagers or in their early 20's when they sought him out through his Give A Year For Christ scheme.

Ms Cheema said allegations first emerged in 1992 a year after Ball took advantage of a 17-year-old novice monk whom he had introduced to "penitential psalms".

Detectives launched an investigation, leading six more young men to come forward, but no charges were brought.

In 2008, the Church reviewed the case and in 2012 referred it to Sussex Police, who reopened the inquiry.

In mitigation, Richard Smith QC said Ball's offences were "very much his dark side" and that he felt "profound and deep" remorse.

Cambridge-educated Ball, who now lives in Langport, Somerset, was Bishop of Lewes between 1977 and 1992 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1992 until his resignation the following year.

He was said to have many high-profile friends and acquaintances, including the Prince of Wales.