Abuse reported to church 17 years before police told

An allegation of sexual abuse against a priest who went on to become a bishop appears to have been reported to "senior figures" in the church 17 years before it was passed to police.

The alleged victim of Anthony Pierce, believed to have been under 18 at the time, had died by the time the church contacted the police in 2010.

This meant the allegation of sexual assault could not be investigated. It only came to light after the former bishop of Swansea and Brecon admitted five counts of indecent assault on a child in another case.

The Church in Wales said an independent review had begun into the separate allegation of Pierce's "improper (and possible criminal) conduct" in or around 1990.

South Wales Police said: "Sadly, in this specific case the victim had passed away in 2010 when allegations were made of abuse.

"Therefore we are not able to progress the investigation."

In the intervening 17 years since the allegation was made in 1993, Pierce had been elected and served as bishop of Swansea and Brecon for nine years from 1999.

In 2002, he was made a commander of the order of St John, an honour conferred to show "exceptional" charitable service in hospital settings and for those in need.

He stood down as bishop of Swansea and Brecon in January 2008, aged 67.

He was awarded an honorary fellowship by Swansea University in 2011, which the institution has now said it will review.

The allegation of sexual abuse came to light after the former bishop admitted five historical counts of indecent assault on a male child under the age of 16 earlier this month at Swansea Crown Court.

Those assaults dated to between 1985 and 1990 when he was a parish priest in West Cross, Swansea. They were raised with a Church safeguarding officer in 2023 and subsequently investigated.

Pierce is being sentenced for those charges on 7 March.

The Church in Wales said, after these offences came to light, "an internal investigation was initiated and found evidence suggesting that in 1993 a small number of members of the Church in Wales had been aware of a further allegation against Mr Pierce, but that this was not shared with Police until 2010".

An independent review, which is expected to last three months and is being led by Gabrielle Higgins, will look at how the second allegation was handled by the church.

The terms of reference state: "The allegation relates to conduct in or around 1990 and appears to have been first reported to senior figures in the Church in Wales in 1993.

"The victim is now deceased, and in these terms of reference is referred to as 'XY'."

The Church in Wales said it concerned allegations of "improper (and possible criminal) conduct" against the former bishop, and that the alleged second victim was believed "to have been under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged offence".

It will also look at periods of time when Pierce's permission to officiate was removed and restored between 2011 and 2016.

It added the review would consider how allegations were handled in current systems for the appointment of archdeacons and bishops, and whether changes were necessary.

Experts are now calling for a wider review of historic allegations handled by the Church in Wales.

Rebecca Sheriff is a lawyer and childhood sexual abuse specialist who has successfully represented a number of civil clients against the Church in Wales over abuse by former vicar Stephen Brooks in Swansea in the 1980s and 1990s.

While she welcomed the review, she said the fact the allegation against Pierce appeared not to have been disclosed to the police immediately in 1993 meant there could be other historic failings.

She said: "Potentially this could be the tip of the iceberg.

"I think it is very obvious here that in fact he wasn't punished, he was promoted, and actually that that has wider consequences."

Child abuse lawyer David Greenwood works with charity MACSAS, which represents survivors of church sexual abuse, and has previously represented clients against the Church in Wales.

He welcomed the church's assertion that the report would be published in full, but said there were issues in the way it was being conducted.

"The basis of this review is constricted," he said.

"The Church in Wales has selected its own reviewer, it has restricted the dates or the years that can be examined, it's excluded the most recent conviction."

He added: "Unless the process is absolutely right, then there'll still be a lingering doubt that things have been hushed up or swept under a carpet."

The Church in Wales said its choice of person to lead the review was independent, was approved by its safeguarding committee, and "no bishops or clergy, nor anybody from the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, were involved in the selection".

It added the terms of the review could be extended if necessary.

A spokesman said: "All of this has been placed into the public domain at the first opportunity. Far from sweeping anything under the carpet, this demonstrates exactly the opposite."

They encouraged anyone with concerns to come forward.

"If our people and processes have failed victims and survivors of abuse in the past, we intend to take responsibility for that fact and to fully apply the lessons which have been learned."

Children's Commissioner for Wales Rocio Cifuentes said the Welsh government needed to follow a recent national inquiry's recommendations and establish an independent body that oversaw safeguarding at religious institutions.

She said: "The fact that there is currently no independent oversight of the safeguarding arrangements of religious institutions is a significant gap and a significant concern."

The Welsh government said it was continuing to "review and strengthen safeguarding systems and implement recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse".

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