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>So after all these years, it turns out that Stanton >was just an abusive pervert, and that people like John >Campbell were protecting him. Pathetic! > >Glad to see that you are still pointing the spotlight >at this organisation, Mike. > >>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-lead >e >>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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