HiddenMysteries: This is how Religious Conservatives Take Care of their Own

Jailed paedophile still paid by church

A paedophile vicar is still being paid his £20,000-a-year salary by the Church of England - two months after he was jailed for abusing young boys, it emerged today.

The Rev David Smith, 52, is also still technically the priest at St John's in Clevedon, Somerset, where he groomed and molested two vulnerable youngsters.

He was sentenced to five and half years in jail in May after being convicted of a string of sexual assaults on boys over a 30-year-period.

Officials at the Church of England today blamed red tape and procedures for delaying his removal from office, but insisted it could happen in a matter of days.

Smith, despite being suspended for more than a year by the Diocese of Bath and Wells, has been entitled to continue to claim his stipend - even after he was convicted.

The Rev John Andrews, spokesman for the diocese, said the process of removing a vicar from office was subject to legal procedures, which could take time.

"We have to follow the law and implement it as expeditiously as we can," he said.

"We are anxious that the whole matter should be resolved as soon as possible so that the ongoing pastoral care of the parish can be settled, because until Mr Smith is removed there is no vacancy and we can't replace him.

"In the meantime the parish is being looked after superbly by the Rev Victor Barley, working with retired clergy in the parish.

"Between them they are taking the parish forward and helping to heal the wounds."

But one of Smith's victims, who was molested by the paedophile when he was pupil at a boarding school in the 1970s, said the church should have stopped paying him after his conviction.

"I would rather have a clean break and he should have to suffer all the consequences of his actions including not being paid, but that's completely secondary to the fact he's not in a position to abuse children any more."

Smith was convicted on May 3 and then had 28 days to lodge an appeal. Until that time, the church was powerless to take any steps to remove him from office.

After that time limit passed, he was told the church intended to replace him after a clergy discipline measure into his conduct.

But Smith, who always denied he had done anything wrong, still has a further 28 days to appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury against the decision.

His final chance is expected to expire within days and he is not thought to be challenging the church's action. Michelle Elliott, of children's charity Kidscape, said it was astonishing a convicted sex offender was still being paid, and called on the church to review its procedures.

"If they can't act because of church rules, they need to change them. And if it's down to tribunal law then the Government needs to looks at it.

"It just goes to show what a pathetic and vile human being David Smith is that he's still accepting this money and the total lack of understanding he has for his victims."

It is not clear if Smith has been claiming the cash and what he has done with it.

During his trial at Bristol Crown Court, it emerged concerns had been raised with the Church of England on two occasions about the vicar, first in 1983 and again in 2001.

Despite the church reassuring two complainants that the matter had been "dealt with", Smith continued to abuse boys at the vicarage in Clevedon, Somerset.

The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Rev Peter Price, later apologised to the victims after the jury returned unanimously guilty verdicts on all 12 charges.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

This is how Religious Conservatives Take Care of their Own

Thursday, July 05 2007 @ 05:00 AM CDT