PSNI in talks with Presbyterian Church over safeguarding crisis that caused moderator to quit

The crisis caused the church’s top figure, moderator Rev Trevor Gribben, to sensationally resign on Wednesday evening, though no confirmed details of what happened and to whom as a result of “serious and significant failings” in safeguarding.

Rev Gribben said harm had been caused and people were exposed to risk of harm as a result of those failings, as he announced he was quitting his post.

This morning a Stormont minister – Gordon Lyons, a member of the church – said he felt there is a "lack of clarity" around the issue, telling BBC Radio Ulster: “I don’t think we have been furnished with all the information.

“There does seem to be a lack of clarity as to what is happening, so I hope there is more information that can be provided. I hope more people come forward if there have been issues.”

Several hours later, the head of the PSNI’s Public Protection Branch, DCI Zoe McKee, said the force is in talks with the church “to ensure that mechanisms are in place to support” any victims who make themselves known.

She added: “The PSNI remains committed to working in partnership with all relevant agencies and organisations to ensure that robust safeguarding measures are in place to protect vulnerable individuals.”

Speaking at press conference on Wednesday, moments after Rev Gribben announced his resignation, a senior figure admitted the church doesn’t yet know how wide the crisis reached, or how many people may have been hit by it.

Convener of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Dr David Bruce, launched an appeal for anyone who may have been impacted to come forward.

“When we hear from those who have been impacted,” he said, “we will be, along with other statutory bodies, in a better place to be able to know the scale of this issue and to respond to it accordingly.”

Details of the cases, said to number in the low single figures and date from 2009 to 2022, were not revealed during the press conference, and nor was it made clear what specific harms may have been involved.

An official confirmed to the News Letter the church has no evidence any cases involve allegations against clergymen, however.

Issues found were said to include:

• failing to refer cases to legal authorities when required
• failing to properly monitor offenders who join a congregation, despite being told about them by the authorities
• failing to address concerns reported by one member of a congregation about another
• failing to respond to people who asked for the church’s help after suffering harm.

The incidents were uncovered after an internal review, with Rev Bruce stating most instances “involved a basic failure to follow our own ‘taking care’ guidance”.

“These failings were magnified by major gaps in necessary record-keeping," he said.

The church has so far remained silent on what harm may have been caused, officials stating they don’t want to define the term in case it puts people off coming forward.

Anyone who thinks they may be affected is asked to contact the church via [email protected] or on 028 9041 7308.