ALLEGATIONS of sexual abuse and coercive behaviour were made against the Revd David Fletcher, a former Rector of St Ebbe’s, Oxford, after the publication of the Makin report, it was revealed on Thursday morning.
An announcement from Church House said that the National Safeguarding Team and the diocese of Oxford had received “information of sexual abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour” regarding the late Mr Fletcher, who was Rector of St Ebbe’s from 1986 to 1998. He died three years ago (News, 11 February 2022).
The allegations concern women and girls, the statement says, and had been reported to the police.
On Thursday evening, Channel 4 News is because of broadcast interviews with three women who’ve made complaints against Mr Fletcher, the journalist Cathy Newman said on social media.
Mr Fletcher was a frontrunner on the Iwerne camps at which John Smyth abused no less than 30 young men and boys. Mr Fletcher was identified within the Makin review as being at the center of the cover-up of Smyth’s abuse from 1981 until 2013, when a disclosure to the diocese of Ely led to Smyth’s being reported to the police.
Before he died, Mr Fletcher told the review: “I believed it might do the work of God immense damage if this were public” (News, 7 November 2024).
Thursday’s statement thanked those that had “bravely come forward” with allegations against Mr Fletcher, and said that support had been offered to them.
“Revd Fletcher’s family have been informed and support has been offered,” the statement said.
Mr Fletcher’s brother, the Revd Jonathan Fletcher, is a former Minister of Emmanuel Proprietary Chapel, Ridgway, Wimbledon, within the diocese of Southwark, who’s currently awaiting trial on charges of indecent assault and grievous bodily harm (News, 11 July 2024).
