Church of England Minister Steps Down Following Abuse Review Findings

A Church of England minister has consented to withdraw from her responsibilities subsequent to a critical review determining her awareness of a prolific serial abuser. The review indicated that Reverend Sue Colman, an associate minister based in Oakley, Hampshire, and her husband, likely “had significant knowledge” concerning abuse occurring in both the UK and Africa. According to the review, both individuals served as trustees for the Zambesi Trust UK, an organization established by Smyth that provided him support upon his relocation to Zimbabwe during the 1980s. The Archbishop of Canterbury has announced his intention to resign from his position after the review determined that he “could and should” have reported John Smyth’s abuse of boys and young men to law enforcement in 2013. Smyth, who passed away at the age of 77 in Cape Town in 2018, is considered the most prolific serial abuser linked to the Church of England. The review revealed that Smyth identified students from prominent public schools, such as Winchester College, and transported them to his residence near Winchester, where he performed lashings using a garden cane in his shed. It stated that eight of the boys endured a cumulative 14,000 lashes, while an additional two boys received 8,000 strokes collectively over a period of three years. In a statement, the Diocese of Winchester affirmed that safeguarding failures “should be treated with the utmost seriousness” and expressed that it was “appalled” by the “sheer extent of the horrific abuse perpetrated by John Smyth”. The diocese indicated it would “reflect on the review’s findings and work with the national safeguarding team to take steps to manage any associated risk.” The Oakley with Wootton parish reported that Ms Colman and her husband, Sir Jamie Colman, a mustard heir and church volunteer, have both consented to withdraw from their positions. In a statement, it declared: “We cannot imagine the pain and distress John Smyth’s actions have caused for so many. Our hearts are broken at the thought of the lives that have been damaged.” It added: “Our prayers are with those who have suffered and for all those caught up in the wake of this terrible situation.” Ms Colman was appointed a trustee of the Zambesi Trust UK in 1990, following the mass resignation of other trustees “at their concerns about Smyth and their worry about his continued abusive behaviour.” She subsequently resigned approximately 18 months later. The review noted that she informed it her resignation was “triggered by what she described as an uneasy feeling about John Smyth and his activities” and that she was unaware of the full scope of Smyth’s abuse in the UK until 2017. Sir Jamie served as the chairman of the Zambesi Trust UK in 1989, according to the review, but he declined to participate in its evidence gathering phase. The review stated it had been unable to “fully ascertain his version of events.”