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BBC News
15-07-2025
- BBC News
'Any excuse to go to pub' culture at crisis-hit cathedral
X Some priests and choir members at a cathedral mired in controversy did a "seven last shots of Christ" drinking game at a pub on Good Friday after services at the Archbishop of Wales' cathedral. People who sang with the choir at Bangor Cathedral have told the BBC there "seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine" and "go to the pub" because of a "binge drinking culture". The claims come days after Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales with immediate effect after two critical reports highlighted safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at his Bangor diocese. The Church in Wales said the "abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate" and said a policy regarding alcohol use was being developed. Mr John will also retire as Bishop of Bangor on 31 August but the church has called for a series of reviews and investigations of his diocese and cathedral. This comes after reports highlighted "a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred", excessive alcohol consumption and governance and safeguarding weaknesses. While there is no suggestion the then archbishop, the leader of the Church in Wales, behaved inappropriately, the church's representative body said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor". Jessica, not her real name, said she was assaulted by someone who was trying to become a priest who had been drinking at a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event in 2022. "He had had considerably too much to drink," she told the BBC. "I'd already warned people that night he's drinking a lot more than everyone else. So these warning signs were ignored and that led to that assault." Jessica, now in her early 20s, said another person was also sexually assaulted by the man at the event in the 6th Century Gwynedd cathedral. She reported it and he apologised, but she said the drinking culture did not change. "Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning," Jessica added. "Any sort of external event or big internal event there was prosecco or wine." The Church in Wales confirmed that Jessica was one of two people who complained about the man's behaviour and his priest training was not taken forward. 'Seven last shots of Christ' After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, members of the choir went for drinks. "A few of the priests came out with the choir," recalled Jessica. "It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ." The Seven Last Words of Christ refers to seven last sentences that Jesus spoke from the Cross on Good Friday as quoted in the Bible. "Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert - and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ," she recalled. "I think I left after the first shot because I was like 'I don't think this is appropriate'. There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable." Jessica said she went on a tour to Rome with the choir in June 2023. "Every night we'd go to a bar first and then a restaurant," she recalled. "At the time I was teetotal. I would be like I don't want wine, I don't want to drink in this situation. I don't want alcohol. "That would not be an okay answer, that would be questioned beyond belief. Like, this alcohol is free. Why are you not taking it? You should have it." Esmé Byrd was a lay clerk at Bangor Cathedral for six months and regularly sang with the choir until leaving in January 2023. The 29-year-old said the culture and attitude to alcohol was "deeply unhealthy" with some people getting "really catastrophically drunk". "There was a culture of binge drinking," said Esmé. "Not necessarily all the time, but certainly there was a lot of alcohol around almost all the services or various events. It seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine, any excuse to go to the pub." Esmé said she became concerned about the wellbeing of younger members of the choir, especially the language used around them. "It was the level of 18-rated sexual jokes, crude sexual humour done in front of children as young as six or seven," said Esmé. "In terms of safeguarding training, there was absolutely nothing. There was no training, so in terms of certainly me starting and me doing my job, there was no training of anything whatsoever." Esmé said she was only asked to do a DBS check a couple of weeks after starting, despite being appointed months in advance. "I looked around and I just thought, this is not safe," Esmé told BBC Wales Investigates. "This is not a safe and nurturing and good environment for children to be in." She added: "It felt a lot more like a badly run after school club rather than a professional organisation." Esmé said she raised her concerns but eventually left because she became frustrated with the lack of action. "It's not a sense of malevolence, but a huge sense of negligence and neglect and not following good practice," added Esmé. "Creating the space where a malevolent actor could have done almost whatever they wanted." The Church in Wales said "concerns about a drinking culture" prompted them to investigate and said alcohol was "not now generally available" after services. A spokesperson said they did not believe that Bangor Cathedral was unsafe for children, but said improvements to policy and practice were required. The spokesperson said: "Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. "The Implementation Group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. "The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol. "This inappropriate behaviour is addressed in the actions which are required following the visitation process. "DBS checks are required and safeguarding training delivered in line with UK legislation, and the Church in Wales policies." Regarding the blessing of beer, the spokesperson said this was occasionally practised in churches but that "the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate".
BBC News
11-07-2025
- BBC News
Ex-Archbishop of Wales was aware of sexual assault allegations
The former Archbishop of Wales has admitted he was aware of a safeguarding incident involving a drunken sexual assault in his diocese, despite previously denying knowledge of "that sort of behaviour".Andrew John retired with immediate effect as Archbishop of Wales on 27 June and will retire as Bishop of Bangor at the end of Saturday, a BBC investigation revealed the alleged assault was by a man seeking to become a initially denying any awareness in a BBC interview, a Church in Wales spokesperson has confirmed the matter had been reported to Andrew John but it said the man had no licence to officiate, which Mr John said his comments referred to. The BBC investigation found that in 2022, a man training to become a priest sexually assaulted a member of the Bangor Cathedral choir while he was the alleged victim came forward, the man issued an apology, and his training to become a priest was discontinued. Mr John's retirement follows the publication of the summaries of two critical reports which mentioned "a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred", excessive alcohol consumption, as well as governance and safeguarding weaknesses at Bangor there is no suggestion the archbishop behaved inappropriately, the church's representative body had said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the Diocese of Bangor".After the publication of the summaries, he had faced criticism and calls to stand down, with calls for an independent inquiry into the diocese. On 6 July, BBC Radio Cymru's Bwrw Golwg programme broadcast an interview with the former Archbishop. Amongst many questions, the presenter asked Mr John whether he was aware about the sexual assault the woman had reported. He responded by saying: "No, no. "I have never seen clerics with the choir or misbehaving at all."So I'm not sure what's behind this story but the conduct I've seen is people having a good time and relaxing within acceptable boundaries." After the programme aired, a member of the public got in touch with BBC-produced Newyddion S4C claiming it was "highly likely" Mr John would have been aware of a decision not to continue with the priest's training. "It is likely then that John was aware of the culture of drinking at his cathedral in late 2022 and that his denial on Bwrw Golwg was an untruth," the person added. In a statement of response, a Bangor Cathedral spokesperson confirmed the matter was brought to the bishop's attention in said the Provincial Safeguarding Team reviewed the incident and recommended that the individual should not attend the team also advised that any attendance at a Church in Wales place of worship must be subject to a safeguarding agreement - which the church said was implemented."The Bishop wishes to clarify that the person was not in training but a priest ordained in the Church of England who had moved to Wales and was seeking a return to ministry. "At the time of this incident the priest did not have any licence or permission to officiate from the Church in Wales," the spokesperson said. The Church also confirmed that an internal investigation took place, with recommendations and advice passed to the asked about the apparent discrepancy between Andrew John's Bwrw Golwg interview and the Church's statement, a Church in Wales spokesperson said: "The Bishop was referring to clerics officiating with his licence or permission. "This individual had neither."
BBC News
09-07-2025
- BBC News
Police investigate sex abuse claims against men linked to Church
A convicted bishop and a former vicar of the Church in Wales are being investigated by detectives over allegations of historical sexual abuse, the BBC can people have told BBC Wales Investigates about abuse being ignored at the crisis-hit Church and have called for an independent Bishop of Swansea and Brecon Anthony Pierce, jailed for child sexual abuse earlier this year, faces fresh historical sex abuse allegations while a former vicar is also being investigated by South Wales Church in Wales have said they were "profoundly sorry" and apologised to "anyone who has suffered or been let down by failings." Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assaultThe BBC investigation found concerns about Pierce were reported to Church officials in 1986 - 13 years before he became Bishop of Swansea and Brecon - but nothing was victim has waived his right to anonymity to speak out and questions how a "predator" was allowed to become a Bishop when serious concerns had been raised about him. It is the latest controversy to hit the Church in Wales after the Archbishop of Wales retired last month after two critical reports highlighted safeguarding concerns where "sexual boundaries seemed blurred" at his north Wales diocese of who sang with the Bangor Cathedral choir also told the BBC there had been a "binge drinking culture".Although there is no suggestion the former archbishop behaved inappropriately. the church's representative body said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor".BBC Wales understands the current police investigation is looking into historical sexual abuse allegations against Pierce, as well as a former vicar of the Church in alleged victims, from across Wales whose allegations span decades, have told BBC Wales Investigates they want an independent inquiry into the Church in Wales abuse. Alisdair Adams was 18 and at University College Swansea, now Swansea University, when he first met Pierce who was a parish priest in the city in the 1980s. "He invited me to his house for dinner to see how we could work together and gave me lots of white wine and no food," said Alisdair, now said Pierce moved to sit on the arm of the sofa before the lights went out suddenly."He grabbed me and pulled me into him and held me tightly," he added. "I could feel his erect penis through his brown nylon trousers." 'He was the predator and we were the prey' Alisdair said he left immediately and reported the incident to a Methodist said he was invited to speak to the Anglican campus chaplain and said two other students were interviewed that day about Pierce. BBC Wales Investigates has spoken to Mark Dickey-Collas, who was also interviewed. He said he was also invited to Pierce's house and offered alcohol before the lights went out and Pierce came onto said the chaplain reported his concerns to the Church and Pierce was banned from campus and university Church in Wales said it was not aware of the report but confirmed it was undertaking enquiries into how it responded at the time. Pierce continued as a priest and worked as chaplain at Swansea's Singleton Hospital. He became Bishop of Swansea and Brecon in 1999, and met the then Prince Charles, now King Charles, while he was on a visit to Swansea in admitted five charges of indecent assault against a boy under the age of 16 between 1985 and 1990 and was sentenced to four years and one month in March. "I'm dumbfounded as to why this man with allegations swirling around him in 1985 and 1986 was allowed to be employed by the church," Alisdair told BBC Wales Investigates."And they promoted him to Bishop. He was a predator and we were the prey and the Church did nothing about it."The Church is currently holding a review into claims "senior figures" were aware of a separate allegation of abuse against Pierce in 1993 which was not passed to police until becoming Bishop, Pierce was in ultimate charge of Church safeguarding in his diocese. Ruth, not her real name, told BBC Wales serious allegations she made about a choirmaster were not acted on by says Brecon Cathedral choirmaster David Gedge assaulted her on a choir exchange to Ireland in 2001 when she was 17 years old."He suggested we go for a walk," said Ruth, who was a chorister at the cathedral. "He held my arm and turned me round and kissed me. In that moment I felt just kind of shattered." "He put his hand underneath my top and was touching me. He talked about his wife and as he was talking about this his hands were moving and he put his hands down my trousers and into my pants. "All of this was happening whilst I was really frozen."She said she was scared to report the abuse initially, but eventually did two years later to try and protect other choristers. 'The Church allowed my abuser to have more opportunities' Pierce was Bishop of Swansea and Brecon at the time - and Ruth says he did Church in Wales admitted there was no record of action against Mr Gedge in 2003 and any decisions about the case would have been made by Gedge continued to work with children in the choir for four years before retiring. "Anthony Pierce did not abuse me, but he allowed my abuse to go unaccounted for and for my abuser to have many more opportunities to do the same thing," said Ruth."I don't know how many other people are without justice because Anthony Pierce stopped their case from moving forward - maybe to protect his friends, maybe to take the eyes off him."Ruth said she went to the police in 2012 after the lack of action by the Church. BBC Wales Investigates has seen police documents that say Mr Gedge admitted holding Ruth's hand, taking her for a walk and talking to her about intimate details of his life but he denied assaulting Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland said there appeared to be substance to Ruth's allegations but it was unlikely a prosecution would be Gedge was prevented from holding any role in the Church after 2012. He died in priest Graham Sawyer started working in Pontypool in south Wales in 2003 when he raised concerns about Darren Jenkins, a youth leader and lay reader - someone who can preach and take services. 'I was told I should be very careful about reporting abuse' "I was worried about the inappropriate touching," he said. "It didn't appear sexual, it was hugging."As a former sexual abuse victim himself, Graham tried to raise the alarm."I was told that I should be very careful or I'd end up in court," he said he went to the police after he became concerned at the lack of action by the Church in Wales and left Pontypool for Australia. Jenkins was jailed in 2006 for raping a 16-year-old boy five said cases like Pierce's show "the culture has not changed". "Whenever there's a problem, they will close ranks and ignore. If that doesn't work, they would attack you with great ferocity," he told BBC Wales Church in Wales is a separate body to the Church of England and both have separate safeguarding departments to protect vulnerable people including has written to Welsh politicians urging them to call on the Senedd to hold an independent Church in Wales has been subject to two independent safeguarding reports to date - the Historic Cases Review in 2009 and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) which started in Welby stepped down as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2024 after a damning report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of IICSA panel member has questioned if the Church in Wales has done enough since that report and thought there should be an external review into the Church. "We did make it very clear that there were quite a lot of significant gaps and operational shortcomings," Professor Sir Malcolm Evans told the BBC."But there doesn't seem to have been a broad-ranging discussion as to the future in Wales as there has been in the Church of England. What we now need is that level of discussion, reflection, and action." Church in Wales promise culture review The Church in Wales has apologised and told the BBC that an external safeguarding audit of all cathedrals in Wales would be commissioned as well as a review into its culture. "There is no place in the Church for abuse, misconduct or concealment," a Church in Wales spokesman said."We are determined that the issues identified will be fully addressed and practices improved so that all church members, and the wider society, can have confidence that the church is, as it should be, a safe and supportive environment for all."The Church added its complaints handling process is now more independent, professional and robust and it is committed to continuous information and support about any issues raised in this story contact the BBC Action reporting by Michela Riva
The Independent
05-07-2025
- The Independent
Priests indulged in ‘binge drinking culture' and played ‘seven last shots of Christ' at Welsh cathedral
Priests at a cathedral described as having a 'culture of binge drinking' have been accused of playing a 'seven last shots of Christ' game after a Good Friday service. Former choir singers at Bangor Cathedral have claimed there "seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine" at the church, which has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks. The accusations follow a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral, which raised complaints about alcohol use and sexual behaviour. The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, announced his retirement after the critical report of his diocese. There is no suggestion that the archbishop behaved inappropriately. The Church in Wales told the BBC that in light of the report, there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor". A former singer at the church anonymously told the BBC that she had been sexually assaulted there in 2022 by a man training to become a priest. The Church in Wales told the BBC she was one of two people who complained about the man's behaviour. The incident was reported and the man's priest training was not taken forward. The woman said the man had 'considerably too much to drink' in the lead up to the assault. She said: "I'd already warned people that night he's drinking a lot more than everyone else. So these warning signs were ignored and that led to that assault." Though she received an apology, she said the drinking culture did not change. "Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning," she added. "Any sort of external event or big internal event there was prosecco or wine." She also recalled an inappropriate drinking game played by members of the choir and priests after a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023. "A few of the priests came out with the choir," she said. "It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ.' "Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert - and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ," she added. "I think I left after the first shot because I was like 'I don't think this is appropriate'. There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable." A former lay clerk at the cathedral also shared their experiences of the 'culture of binge drinking'. Esmé Byrd, 29, told the BBC that some people would get "really catastrophically drunk" and also shared concerns around a lack of safeguarding training. A spokesperson for The Church in Wales told the BBC that they did not believe Bangor Cathedral to be unsafe for children, but that improvements to policy were required. They said "the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate", adding: 'Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. "The Implementation Group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. "The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol. "This inappropriate behaviour is addressed in the actions which are required following the visitation process. "DBS checks are required and safeguarding training delivered in line with UK legislation, and the Church in Wales policies." The Independent has contacted Bangor Cathedral and The Church in Wales.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Telegraph
Priests accused of doing ‘seven shots of Christ'
Priests at a cathedral accused of having a binge drinking culture played a 'seven last shots of Christ' game after a Good Friday service, it has been claimed. Choristers who used to sing at the church said excessive drinking was commonplace as senior figures would look for 'any excuse to bring out the wine'. Details of the concerning culture at the Bangor Cathedral in Wales emerged just days after Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales with immediate effect. The claims come following two critical reports highlighting safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at his Bangor diocese which states there was a 'culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred'. A former chorister told the BBC she was sexually assaulted in 2022 by a man who was training to become a priest. She said this took place after a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event and that he had been drinking 'considerably too much'. The woman, who is now in her early 20s, said she reported it and he apologised, but commented that the drinking culture did not change. She said: 'Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning.' After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, members of the choir and 'a few of the priests' went for drinks, the chorister claimed. The woman said: 'It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ. 'Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert – and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ. 'I think I left after the first shot because I was like, 'I don't think this is appropriate.' There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable.' Esme Byrd, a lay clerk who would regularly sing with the choir, said the culture around drinking was 'deeply unhealthy'. The 29-year-old said people at the church were often getting 'catastrophically drunk' and that there was a 'culture of binge drinking'. She said: 'It seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine, any excuse to go to the pub.' Ms Byrd, who worked closely with children at the choir, said she was also concerned about the language used around children and their general wellbeing. 'Always inappropriate' The church in Wales said 'concerns about a drinking culture' prompted them to investigate and said alcohol was 'not now generally available' after services. A spokesman for Bangor Cathedral said they did not believe the church was unsafe for children. The spokesman told the BBC: 'Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. 'The implementation group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. 'The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol.' Safeguarding measures in place They said DBS checks are now required along with safeguarding training to comply with UK legislation and the policies in the Church of Wales. The spokesman said the blessing of beer was occasionally practised in churches – but that 'the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate'. There is no suggestion the archbishop has behaved inappropriately.
