Titus Trust settles with abuse victims at Christian holiday 'bash camps'
Boys lives were blighted after sadistic beatings by John Smyth at Iwerne Trust more than 40 years ago, successor group admits
Harriet Sherwood Religious correspondent
@harrietsherwood
Sun 5 Apr 2020 02.25 EDT
A Christian organisation whose forerunner ran holiday camps at which boys were beaten sadistically has reached a settlement with three men and acknowledged that lives have been blighted.
The Titus Trust has expressed profound regret for the abuse carried out by John Smyth QC and has apologised for additional distress caused by the way the trust responded to the allegations.
The abuse scandal at the so-called Bash camps in the 1970s and 80s embroiled Justin Welby, who is now the archbishop of Canterbury, and who worked at the Christian holiday centres in the 1970s.
After allegations of abuse and its cover-up emerged three years ago, Welby said he knew Smyth but had been completely unaware of any abuse at the time. He apologised on behalf of the Church of England, which later ordered an independent review into the allegations.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/05/titus-trust-settles-with-abuse-victims-at-christian-holiday-bash-camps