Church of England abuse survivor has forgiven John Smyth and those accused of 'helping to cover it up' - but abandoned his faith
A victim of the Church of Englands most prolific child abuser has forgiven him for the horrific violence he suffered.
A victim of the Church of Englands most prolific child abuser has forgiven him for the horrific violence he suffered.
John Smyth was an evangelical Christian barrister who was subsequently claimed to be a serial abuser who targeted as many as 130 boys until his death in 2018.
The scandal saw the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby quit yesterday after a damning report found his failure to act meant that the abhorrent serial abuser was never brought to justice.
One of his Smyths victims, John Gittens, would visit Smyths house on a three weekly basis during his second year of university and was given as many as 200 lashings at a time.
But despite the horrific abuse, Mr Gittins told Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley he has forgiven Smyth and Welby, even after turning his back on the Christian faith.
John Gittens(pictured), who is a victim of the Church of Englands most prolific child abuser John Smyth, says he has forgiven him for the horrific violence he suffered
Smyth (pictured in 2017) had abused around 30 boys before rumours of his revolting abuse reached the authorities
The scandal saw the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (pictured) quit yesterday after a damning report found his failure to act meant that the abhorrent serial abuser was never brought to justice
Detailing the abuse he suffered, Mr Gittins said: It started off as a fairly tame beating to show to myself that I was a committed christian. But over time it turned into something rather severe.
I would go down to his house on a three weekly basis. Ended up with about 200 lashings at a time.
Mr Gittins said he was often beaten so hard by Mr Smyth that he needed to wear a nappy to cover his wounds.
He continued: I have to say I just got on with my life but it wasnt until 2017 when the channel 4 programme that I realised how bad a situation it had been.
I just got on my life. There are other things that are sent to you in life and you have to cope with those. So I just put it out of my mind really.
Mr Gittins was then asked why he decided to come forward as a victim. He said: Any situation like this, the truth is the most important thing.
For people to know what happened is important and perhaps if people understand then those mistakes wont be made again.
[Welby] should have informed the police and he has admitted he should have informed the police.
John Smyth (pictured) died aged 77 in Cape Town in 2018 while he was being investigated by Hampshire Police
Archbishop Welby (pictured) worked at the holiday camps in the 1970s and knew Smyth, who headed the Iwerne Trust, which financed them
But its a busy job and I appreciate that may have just fallen down his priorities by mistake.
As far as I am concerned I have forgiven John Smyth and I have forgiven the archbishop and I have forgiven anybody else involved.
I am no longer a christian so forgiveness helps my healing and if I didnt forgive I would probably still be bitter.
Smyth was a prolific child abuser, who used the Iwerne Trust’s seaside camps to target potential victims.
He had a particular penchant for pupils from Winchester College, the famous public school (and alma mater of Rishi Sunak) near his idyllic family home in Hampshire.
Young members of the school’s Christian Forum, which sent a delegation to the camps, would be invited over for Sunday lunch and a swim in the pool, before being lured into Smyth’s shed, where they would be instructed to confess various sins.
He would then instruct them to strip naked, before undoing his trousers and using a garden cane to inflict brutal punishment beatings.
Archbishop Welby worked at the holiday camps in the 1970s and knew Smyth, who headed the Iwerne Trust, which financed them.
Mr Welby (pictured) admitted he ‘personally failed’ the countless victims of sexualised beatings from evangelist barrister John Smyth
One alleged victim, Mark Stibbe, said he was told the beatings would help him to become holy. Another, Richard Gittins, said the boys who were compelled to wear adult nappies to let their wounds heal.
Another alleged victim was the Right Reverend Andrew Watson, now the Bishop of Guildford. In 2017, he said: ‘The beating I endured in the infamous garden shed was violent, excruciating and shocking.’
Smyth was allowed to go abroad to work in Africa after allegations against him emerged. He died in Cape Town a year ago, aged 77.
The Church’s bishop in charge of preventing child abuse, the Right Reverend Peter Hancock, said: ‘This review into the Church’s response – and the response of others – is vital.’
There is no suggestion that Archbishop Welby was involved in the alleged abuse.
