Investigation Reveals Safeguarding Failures in Church of Ireland Over Pastor's Criminal History
Church of Ireland 'safeguarding failings' over pastor's criminal record
Image: The Bbc
An investigation has revealed serious safeguarding failures within the Church of Ireland, particularly concerning Joe Turner, a lay pastor with 45 convictions. Despite a history of violence and a lack of required criminal checks, Turner was appointed to a pastoral role at St Brendan's in east Belfast in 2017.
- 01Joe Turner was appointed as a lay pastor at St Brendan's in Sydenham, east Belfast, in 2017 despite having 45 criminal convictions, including a conviction for assault.
- 02An internal church report highlighted multiple concerns about Turner's behavior, including a serious allegation made by a vulnerable woman in 2019.
- 03Turner failed to undergo the required enhanced criminal record check for over two years, which the church attributed to an oversight.
- 04During a precautionary suspension, Turner attended a youth trip to the U.S. despite being instructed not to, leading to further allegations about his conduct.
- 05Bishop David McClay is accused of attempting to persuade the woman who made the initial allegation to retract her statement, which he strongly denies.
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An investigation has uncovered significant safeguarding failures within the Church of Ireland, particularly regarding Joe Turner, a lay pastor appointed in 2017 despite having 45 convictions, including a serious assault. The church did not conduct the required enhanced criminal record check for Turner, citing an oversight, which took over two years to complete following an assault conviction. Whistleblowers revealed that Turner was placed on precautionary suspension after a vulnerable woman made a serious allegation against him in late 2019, although the church later deemed her claim lacked credibility. Concerns about Turner's behavior persisted, including an incident during a youth trip to the U.S. where he allegedly entered a bedroom of undressed female youth group members. Additionally, Rev Adrian McCartney claimed that Bishop David McClay attempted to persuade the woman to retract her statement and offered financial assistance for her relocation, which the bishop denies, attributing McCartney's claims to personal grievances. The Church of Ireland maintains that it takes safeguarding seriously and believes its current policies are robust.
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The safeguarding failures raise serious concerns about the protection of vulnerable individuals within church communities.
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