Who is John Smyth? Barrister who led Iwerne Trust accused of physically abusing boys from Winchester College in Christian group
John Smyth QC 'forced public schoolboys to strip naked before subjecting them to savage beatings'
EXPLOSIVE details have emerged about alleged abuse at a Christian charity that ran summer camps in the 70s and early 80's.
A Channel 4 News investigation, reported in the Daily Telegraph, is expected to reveal charity head John Smyth QC "forced public schoolboys to strip naked before subjecting them to savage beatings".
But who is John Smyth and is he facing charges for the alleged abuse?
Who is John Smyth QC?
John Smyth QC was head of the Irwine Trust, a Christian charity closely linked to a church that ran summer camps in the late seventies.
He is accused of administering tens of thousands of lashes with a garden cane, supposedly to purge them of minor sins such as masturbation and pride.
The beatings, which took place in a shed in the garden of Mr Smyth’s Winchester home, were so intense that the victims were left with lasting scars.
Details of the alleged abuse did not come to light until 1982, when one boy attempted suicide after being ordered to submit himself to another beating.
The Iwerne Trust commissioned a report which concluded: “The scale and severity of the practice was horrific.”
But Smyth was was not reported to cops at the time.
He was instead allowed to move to South Africa after being asked never to work with children again.
How did Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby know John Smyth?
Justin Welby worked as a dormitory officer at a camp where Smyth was one of the main leaders in the 70s.
In a statement the Archbishop said he had been friends with Smyth during the late Seventies, when he worked at the camps, run by the Iwerne Trust.
The Archbishop said he had kept in “occasional” contact with the barrister since.
He was made aware of the allegations in 2013 when the police were involved.
A statement from the Archbishop said: “The Archbishop of Canterbury was a Dormitory Officer at Iwerne holiday camp in the late 1970s, where boys from public schools learnt to develop life as Christians.
“The role was to be a mentor to the boys, as was that of his now wife at a similar camp for girls.
“John Smyth was one of the main leaders at the camp and although the Archbishop worked with him, he was not part of the inner circle of friends; no one discussed allegations of abuse by John Smyth with him.
“The Archbishop left England to work in Paris for an oil company in 1978, where he remained for five years.
“The Archbishop knew Mr Smyth had moved overseas but, apart from the occasional card, did not maintain contact with him.
“We recognise that many institutions fail catastrophically, but the Church is meant to hold itself to a far, far higher standard and we have failed terribly.
“For that the Archbishop apologises unequivocally and unreservedly to all survivors.”
Did John Smyth abuse boys at Winchester College?
Smyth met a number of his victims at Winchester college, but there is no suggestion abuse took place on the school grounds.
The beatings took place in a shed in the garden of Mr Smyth’s Winchester home, and were so intense that the victims were left with lasting scars.
Winchester College, where some of the young men met Smyth, was made aware of the alleged abuse, but also failed to report it to the police at the time.
There is no suggestion that any abuse took place with the knowledge of its staff.
What have John Smyth's alleged victims said?
Men who claim to have been beaten by Smyth say they are permanently scarred.
One alleged victim, Mark Stibbe, alleged Mr Smyth told him the beatings would “help you become holy”.
Another alleged victim, Richard Gittins, said boys were forced to wear adult nappies til their wounds healed.
The assault only came to light in 1982, when one boy attempted suicide after being ordered to submit himself to another beating.
What did John Smyth say about the alleged abuse?
When quizzed by the allegations by Channel 4 News Smyth said: “I’m not talking about that.
“I’m not talking about that at all.”
When asked if he had any regrets about driving one victim to attempt suicide he shook his head.
He said: “I don’t, I’m not talking about this.
“I’m sorry it’s…How did you know I was here?
“I am not talking about what we did at all.”
When asked if what he did was Christian, he said: “I’m not answering any questions.”
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