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Queer Christians have accused a former leader of a British LGBTQ+ church of sexual abuse and church bosses of ‘covering it up’.
The alleged victims claim they were touched, groped and harassed by the same individual at Sunday services in the UK and social functions over a 13-month period.
Metro understands there are at least 18 alleged victims – eight who have complained to the church pastor – and three witnesses.
‘The core leader would come up behind me and grab my arm and chest,’ said one victim. ‘They would squeeze and pinch my side down to my buttocks and thighs.’
‘I know [the individual] does it to all members so I just accepted it,’ another recalled.
One victim complained to the church’s pastor about the former church leader in December 2022. The pastor said the accused was ‘just a hugger’ doing an ‘older guy things’, according to an email and WhatsApp message seen by Metro.
‘I would say this was inappropriate as a person assigned as safeguarding lead,’ one alleged victim told Metro. ‘Had the behaviour been challenged and stopped, it wouldn’t have escalated.’
The member of the leadership team has since left the church. Picture shows stock images of a church and a model, which are not connected to the incidents (Picture: Getty Images)
One alleged victim reported a separate incident to the pastor in November 2023 (Picture: Supplied)
The accused told the pastor that his behaviour was an ‘old guy thing’ over WhatsApp (Picture: Supplied)
Further allegations were made about the individual over the next year. But the LGBTQ+ church only told the district church, which oversees the running of the LGBTQ+ church, about the allegations in January 2024.
During the inquiry, a district investigator and co-founder of the LGBTQ+ church, said later that month they were ‘satisfied’ with the accused individual’s response and would not be removed.
The district investigator asked an alleged victim if they would be comfortable having their testimony seen by the pastor (Picture: Supplied)
‘[The church] has always had a culture of “hugging” amongst some people,’ the investigator told alleged victims in an email. ‘Many people hug me personally in the community without asking… I’ve also seen people kiss one another on the neck, which is a normal practice in some cultures.’
This amounted to saying, ‘You know the gays, they’re touchy touchy,’ an alleged victim said.
A representative of the victims said this was ‘gaslighting’. ‘Church representatives removed the one tool that we can give vulnerable people – the ability to identify the fact that they are experiencing abuse,’ they told Metro.
After alleged victims threatened to go to the press, the pastor removed the leader on January 31.
During a service in April 2024, a district reverend told followers their investigation was ‘completed’.
An audio recording heard by Metro showed an alleged victim replying: ‘Your process hasn’t consulted me and I was sexually assaulted in this room against that wall.’
‘They sexually assaulted me, they touched my ass and they grabbed it. They
touched me and the investigation has never spoken to me despite me reaching out to them for three months,’ they added.
The reverend asked them to leave or: ‘I am going to have to call the police’.
‘You are going to call the police on us because someone sexually assaulted and
harassed us on your watch?’ the alleged victim replied.
Another added: ‘Oh, yes, please call the police. I would love to talk to them about the sexual assaults and harassment that has been taking place.
‘We have got evidence. We have got emails and WhatsApps showing you that the
[the church] core leadership have covered it up. The church has not been taking it seriously for the last 10 months.’
Alleged victims were escorted out and in the the following weeks cut off from church communications.
Church statement in full:
When approached for comment, the LGBTQ+ church shared a statement from the district:
‘A safeguarding concern was first brought to the attention of [the church’s] leadership in late 2023. This was followed by further complaints to [the district] as [the church’s] oversight body in January 2024.
‘Swift action was then taken by [church] and district leaders to ensure the safety of the community. With risk removed, a five-month safeguarding investigation followed. However, beyond the initial concern, multiple further allegations could not be corroborated or were found to be inaccurate and therefore dismissed.
‘Several LGBTQ+ members of [the church] expressed distress at being wrongly named as victims or witnesses without their knowledge or consent. The safeguarding investigation was completed in June finding no ongoing risk in relation to the original allegation, but [the church] has not yet reconvened public gatherings due to the distress and damage this situation has caused.
‘The [district] has supported and funded [the church] for seven years because we believe that LGBTQ+ people are deeply loved by God and that faith communities that celebrate the gifts, wisdom and spirituality of queer people are desperately needed.
‘We’re grieved by all the pain that has been experienced and we’re committed to supporting [the pastor] and other [the church] community members as they take the time and space they need to process, heal and rebuild.’
Following the protest from the members, the investigation was re-opened but closed the following month in May 2024 after the church said it found ‘multiple further allegations could not be corroborated’ or ‘were found to be inaccurate and therefore dismissed.’
Victims claim that during the second inquiry, they were also not spoken to by investigators. The church did not address this claim when Metro approached for comment.
Ahead of a meeting in July to discuss the findings, a district representative told the alleged victims they would ‘be politely refused entry.’
Security guards were hired to stop alleged victims from attending the July meeting (Picture: Supplied)
Yet one invited a councillor to attend as an independent observer.
‘The investigators introduced themselves by contrasting groping to when they had investigated rape with the police,’ the councillor told Metro.
‘It diminished the severity of what was alleged as if it wasn’t worth looking into because some would say it isn’t as bad as other sexual crimes.
‘My heart breaks for all these victims being failed.’
The church’s website says it’s ‘currently on a pause from gathering’. The accused individual is no longer listed as a team member.
A statement from the police said: ‘Officers investigating a number of reports of sexual assaults have made an arrest.
‘As part of our ongoing enquiries, a 49-year-old man was arrested this weekend on suspicion of sexual assault.
‘He has since been bailed while our enquiries continue.’
Metro approached the district church and district investigator for comment.
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