John Smyth: Archbishop Justin Welby faces resignation calls over Church of England abuse scandal, who was he?
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Who was John Smyth?
Smyth was a British barrister and prominent Christian leader, notably associated with the Iwerne Trust, an organisation that conducted evangelical Christian camps for boys from elite public schools during the 1970s and 1980s. He also served as a trustee of the Scripture Union between 1971 and 1979 and chaired the Iwerne Trust from 1974 until the end of 1981.
In 2017, allegations emerged accusing Smyth of subjecting young boys to severe physical abuse under the guise of religious discipline. Reports indicated that he administered brutal beatings to children and young men, actions that were reportedly covered up within the Church of England for years.
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Hide AdFollowing the exposure of these allegations, Smyth relocated to Zimbabwe and later to South Africa, where he continued his involvement in Christian ministries.
Why is the case resurfacing now?
Makin Review published last week concluded that barrister Smyth might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013. Smyth died aged 75 on August 11, 2018, at his home in Cape Town, South Africa, while under investigation by Hampshire Police, and was “never brought to justice for the abuse”.
Over five decades between the 1970s until his death, Smyth is said to have subjected as many as 130 boys and young men in the UK and Africa to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks, permanently marking their lives.


Since the publication of the independent review, The Church of England has been facing criticism for its handling of the Smyth case, with reviews indicating that the response amounted to a cover-up, with victims now calling for Mr Welby to step down ‘in solidarity with the victims’.
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Hide AdThe report said Smyth “could and should have been formally reported to the police in the UK, and to authorities in South Africa (church authorities and potentially the police) by church officers, including a diocesan bishop and Justin Welby in 2013″.
When the Makin report was published, Mr Welby admitted he had considered resigning but decided not to after taking advice from “senior colleagues”.
Details of abuse
The abuse primarily took place during residential Christian summer camps run by the Iwerne Trust, an evangelical organisation targeting boys from elite public schools such as Winchester College, Eton, and others during the 1970s and 1980s.
Victims were often taken to Smyth's garden shed at his Hampshire home, where they were forced to strip naked and were beaten with canes. According to one victim, Smyth would administer dozens of strokes at a time, leaving severe welts and wounds. Another survivor reported being beaten around 3,000 times over the course of two years.
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Hide AdAndrew Morse told BBC Radio 4 he was abused by Smyth, while he was a pupil at Winchester College, including repeated beatings, which he said led him to attempt suicide.
Mr Morse said: “I think he should resign; I think the church is incredibly stringent with its rules for everyday vicars and those lower down the scale about what to do when abuse is reported to you.
“The Archbishop has himself admitted that he failed in 2013 and I think for that reason – although on a personal level I know how difficult it is not to hold on to secrets and particularly secrets in which you yourself come out maybe with a degree of shame – I believe that now is an opportunity for him to resign.
“I say opportunity in the sense that this would be an opportunity for him to stand with the victims of Smyth’s abuse and all victims that have not been treated properly by the Church of England in their own abuse cases.”
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