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>Title: Jesus Army leaders in Northamptonshire step >down after complaints over handling over abuse claims >Website: Northampton Chronicle and Echo >Date: 06/07/2017 >Link: >http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/jesus-army-leade >rs-in-northamptonshire-step-down-after-complaints-over- >handling-over-abuse-claims-1-8042088 > >The leaders of a Northampton-based Christian >organisation, once branded a ‘cult’, have stepped >down while complaints into how historical abuse claims >were handled are investigated. > >The Jesus Army (JA) has confirmed five ‘apostolic’ >leaders of the sect, founded in Bugbrooke in 1969, >will now be subject to an independent investigation. > >Mick Haines, the senior pastor and de facto leader of >the Jesus Army is among the men to have stepped down >from ‘pastoral duties’, a spokesman told the >Chron. The other four to face investigation are Mike >Farrant, John Campbell, Ian Callard and Huw Lewis, the >spokesman confirmed. > >In 2013, the JA called on ex-members to come forward >and reveal instances of past abuse, either sexual, >physical, financial or spiritual. > >Following investigations by ex-members of the >fellowship and the Chronicle & Echo, it is now known >about 150 claims were made. > >But the sect, which still has a strong base in >Northampton and underwent a safeguarding review in >2015, has confirmed there have been complaints over >the way the five men handled the abuse claims. > >Spokesman Laurence Cooper, said in a statement: >“Questions have been raised about the handling of >information by the senior leadership of the church, >relating to past cases of abuse. > >“All five people have been involved in the handling >of previous cases of abuse in the church. Allegations >have been made about the way they handled historic >cases. These are unproven allegations, but they do >need to be treated seriously and investigated fully. > >“The five people you mention have agreed to step >down immediately from pastoral duties and any >leadership authority in the church while an >independent investigation of the allegations is >undertaken.” > >“They remain members of the church but they are not >in a leadership position at this present time.” > >Mr Farrant was instrumental in setting up the Jesus >Army’s common purse in the 1970s, which still exists >in the communes of the organisation today. Mr >Campbell, the Jesus Army’s former press officer, was >described by Mr Cooper in May as having largely >retired from the organisation. In 2013 the Chronicle & >Echo reported that he was the leader tasked with >collating responses to historical abuse allegations. > >A member from within the organisation, who did not >wish to be named, felt the leadership team was not >expecting so many people to come forward with abuse >claims in 2013. “They were very taken aback by it. >They were quite unprepared,” he said. > >In 2015, after being handed details of the abuse >claims by the JA, Northamptonshire Police launched >Operation Lifeboat. The probe, looking into historical >sexual abuse at the JA, has led to two prosecutions to >date, though a spokesman said more prosecutions were >likely. > >The National Leadership Team (NLT) sits below the >apostolic group consisting of the five individuals. Mr >Cooper added that there would be no senior pastor in >place while the investigation was ongoing. > >“Once the NLT receives the findings from this >independent investigation, they will consult with >(Christian safeguarding charity) CCPAS and other >outside agencies to decide what steps need to be >taken.” > >Victims groups have, in the past, raised concerns >about a Christian-based group’s ability to be >independent.
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