An independent review into historic claims of abuse by monks in Wales has been commissioned by Caldey Island.
A Catholic church on the remote island off the coast of Tenby in Wales has been facing allegations of child sex abuse, exploitation, and trafficking since 2017. Claims of abuse refer to incidents reportedly taking place during the 1960s and 1970s.
An independent review into the allegations will be headed by Jan Pickles, a former assistant police and crime commissioner at South Wales Police.
Safeguarding
The new leadership at Caldey Abbey, headed by the recently appointed Father Jan Rossey, is “keen” to act on the recommendations of the review.In a safeguarding statement, published on Tuesday, he said: “In common with many other organisations, Caldey Abbey has, in the past, received disclosures and allegations involving members of the monastic community about their behaviour towards children.
“We take these allegations very seriously and, in order to uphold our commitment to safeguarding, we have commissioned a leading independent safeguarding consultant, Jan Pickles OBE, to conduct a thorough review.
“This review is about taking responsibility, learning from the past, and building a safe environment for everyone.”
The review will examine the allegations made by Kevin O’Connell, who has been campaigning for an inquiry into the abuse claims.
The Caldey Island Survivors Campaign said Mr. O’Connell was not the only victim of abuse, but was the first one to “ask for public support in the form of a petition.”
‘Small Way Forward’
Ms. Pickles will liaise with the Caldey Abbey safeguarding lead Maria Battle to conduct the review, with conclusions made public upon its completion.Commenting on the independent nature of the review and the fact that it’s being funded by the Caldey Abbey, the church said, “Caldey Abbey does not know what the reviewer will find and will not be able to influence or modify its findings or recommendations.”
Mr. O’Connell has questioned the transparency of the process.
“Independent means a professional team of people who actually want to protect children and vulnerable adults. Our voices are being heard but not listened to,” he said.
He said the announced action was not independent safeguarding and described the review as a “small way forward.” He argued against the participation of monks in the process and said that the review was not what the campaigners were fighting for.
A petition launched by Mr. O’Connell in 2021 called for a public inquiry by the Welsh Government. It said that the local police had failed to conduct a full investigation and minimised the abuse claims.
Solicitors representing those alleging abuse have said that it was “perpetrated on an industrial scale, and that it is likely that Caldey was a hub for paedophiles.” The petition also described cases of family home visits by abbey priests to Mr. O’Connell’s house, where he was allegedly abused for a period of time.
“It is our opinion that it is likely that Caldey Island is known within paedophile networks as a safe place to be shielded, with the opportunity to perpetrate active or online abuse whilst on the island,” the solicitors said.
Caldey Abbey said that it was safe for families and children to visit, adding that its new safeguarding policy has adopted new reporting systems.
