Presbyterian Moderator steps down over ‘serious and significant’ safeguarding failings

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Trevor Gribben, has stepped down over alleged safeguarding failings that placed people “in danger”.

Rev Gribben will leave his position at the top of the month over failings that occurred between 2009 and 2022, it was announced on Wednesday. 

“Following an internal investigation and report, it has turn into clear that there have been serious and significant failings within the central safeguarding functions of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland,” he said.

“As a results of this, people have been placed in danger. We are aware of various individuals who have been harmed, and we consider there might be others as yet unknown to us. We apologise unreservedly for this.”

He added: “The Church’s first and best concern about that is for those individuals who have suffered harm, and people who have been put in danger.

“The Presbyterian Church in Ireland profoundly regrets this, is deeply grieved, and can offer all possible support to those affected.”

Rev Gribben was installed as Moderator in June. He also holds the position of Clerk of the Assembly and General Secretary, which he confirmed he will even be relinquishing.

“I actually have made these decisions and brought these steps with the deepest personal regret that our central failings have caused such harm to those that deserve our protection probably the most,” he said.

Rev David Bruce, Convener of the Church’s General Council, said the Church’s Safeguarding Team had “identified various situations between 2009 and 2021, with one as late as 2022, where now we have didn’t deliver an adequate safeguarding service”. 

These included, he said, inadequate responses to concerns dropped at them about individuals in congregations, but additionally failures to involve statutory authorities when crucial.

“These failings were magnified by major gaps in crucial record keeping, so it’s inevitable that now we have not identified all situations where practice was unacceptable,” he said. 

The acting Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Dr David Allen, said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are investigating one individual but that there are three Presbyterian congregations on either side of the Irish border “where we’re aware of people that have come forward and spoken with us”.