A BETRAYAL OF TRUST The independent report into the handling of allegations that have come to the attention of the Church of England concerning the late Hubert Victor Whitsey, former Bishop of Chester. His Honour David Pearl, Lead Reviewer Kate Wood, Review Adviser Hannah Sinclair, Project Manager A BETRAYAL OF TRUST Contents Preface .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Chronological Timeline ........................................................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 20 Chapter 1: Background ......................................................................................................................... 23 1. Biography of Whitsey .................................................................................................................... 23 2. Events Leading up to Whitsey’s Resignation ................................................................................ 24 3. The Diocese of Chester at that Time: The Evidence of Bishop Michael Baughen ........................ 25 Chapter 2: The Police Investigation ...................................................................................................... 26 1. Operation Coverage ...................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 3: Terms of Reference of this Review ..................................................................................... 28 1. The Standard of Proof ................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 4: Terminology ........................................................................................................................ 29 PART A: The Victims .............................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 5: M1 ....................................................................................................................................... 31 1. The 2014 Disclosure ...................................................................................................................... 31 2. The Chester DSA’s Early Involvement ........................................................................................... 34 3. The First NST Core Group Meeting - 25th July 2016 ...................................................................... 36 4. M1’s Interview with the Police ..................................................................................................... 37 5. Our View of these Allegations ....................................................................................................... 38 6. Disclosures to Two People ............................................................................................................ 39 7. Alleged Disclosure to Bishop Glyn Webster, Bishop of Beverley .................................................. 39 7.1. M1’s Interview with the Police .................................................................................................. 40 7.2. Minutes of the Core Group ........................................................................................................ 40 7.3. The Northern Provincial Safeguarding Adviser’s Correspondence and Meeting with Bishop Glyn Webster .................................................................................................................................... 41 7.4. The Chester DSA’s Telephone Call to M1 - 10th November 2016 .............................................. 42 7.5. The Evidence Given to the Review ............................................................................................. 42 7.6. Cleric A’s Report ......................................................................................................................... 44 7.7. Two Other Worrying Aspects ..................................................................................................... 45 7.8. Bishop Glyn Webster’s Evidence to us ....................................................................................... 46 7.9. Our Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 47 1 A BETRAYAL OF TRUST 7.10. Other Concerns ........................................................................................................................ 49 Chapter 6: M2 ....................................................................................................................................... 50 1. M2’s Interview with the Police ..................................................................................................... 50 2. Early Disclosures by M2 ................................................................................................................ 51 3. Meeting with Bishop Michael Baughen ........................................................................................ 53 4. Our View on Whether there was Disclosure to Bishop Michael Baughen ................................... 53 5. Alleged Disclosure to Bishop Peter Forster in 2001/2 .................................................................. 54 6. Conclusion on the Disclosures ...................................................................................................... 55 7. The Period 2016-2018 ................................................................................................................... 56 Chapter 7: M3 ....................................................................................................................................... 59 1. Second Core Group - 10th November 2016 .................................................................................. 59 2. How Did M3 Come to the Attention of the Church? .................................................................... 60 3. Bishop Peter Forster’s Meeting with M3 ...................................................................................... 62 4. Evidence of Bishop Peter Forster to IICSA .................................................................................... 63 5. Interview of Bishop Peter Forster with the Review Team ............................................................ 64 6. Our Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 64 7. M3’s Contact with Canon Peter Lee in the Early 1990s ................................................................ 65 8. M3’s Alleged Disclosure to Bishop David Urquhart, then Bishop of Stockport in 2002 ............... 66 9. Contact Between Bishop Peter Forster and Bishop David Urquhart ............................................ 68 10. Bishop Peter Forster’s Contact with Canon Peter Lee ................................................................ 68 Chapter 8: F1, F2, F3, F4 & F5 ............................................................................................................... 69 1. Conversation Between Canon Roger Clarke and F3 ..................................................................... 69 2. The Interview with F1 by the Review Team - 24th March 2020 .................................................... 71 3. Evidence F1 gave to the Police ...................................................................................................... 73 4. Our Conclusions Regarding F1 and F2........................................................................................... 73 5. F3 ................................................................................................................................................... 75 6. F4 and F5 ....................................................................................................................................... 76 7. Our Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 77 Chapter 9: F6 & M4 ............................................................................................................................... 78 1. The Core Group - 7th July 2017 ...................................................................................................... 78 2. Information from Canon Chegwin Hall ......................................................................................... 78 3. F6’s Evidence to IICSA ................................................................................................................... 79 4. F6’s Video Conference with the Review Team on 25th March 2020 ............................................. 80 5. Our Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 80 2 A BETRAYAL OF TRUST 6. Overheard Conversation at the Interment of their Mother’s Ashes - April 2015......................... 81 7. Telephone Contact by F6 with the Diocese .................................................................................. 83 8. Lack of Apology Letter..................................................................................................................