Monday 7 October 2013

Jersey's Dean---Dame Heather-Saint or Sinner?

In early March this year following a review undertaken by Jan Korris on behalf of the Safeguarding Panel for the Diocese of Winchester Jersey’s Dean Bob Key was suspended.

Later in March it was announced that Bishop John Gladwin was appointed to head a Visitation/Investigation. The Terms of Reference (TOR) were published and it was evident that they mainly concentrated on the Constitutional position between the Jersey and Winchester but importantly did not include the Dean’s handling of an abuse complaint made in 2008 by a lady identified as HG against a Church Warden identified as EY.

The Dean’s suspension was lifted in early May following considerable pressure from Senator Bailhache and other interested parties. The Dean publicly apologised to HG but like the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Winchester has not done so personally.

On 15th May the Winchester Diocese released news that Dame Heather Steel a former High Court Judge with strong links with the Jersey judiciary was to lead an investigation into the 2008 church safeguarding complaint. The investigation would feed into the John Gladwin investigation, but surprisingly no TOR was published.

Following the publication of several Blogs on the Dean's suspension, HG contacted me and we agreed that I should act as her mediator. I made contact with John Gladwin and arranged to meet him with HG in London on 11th June. I envisaged that the investigation process would be a traumatic experience and at the outset had made it made abundantly clear that the Church of England should provide HG with some tangible support as she was living on the streets. I also asked that arrangements should be made for the public apologies to be given personally.


At the June meeting concerns were expressed regarding Dame Heather’s conflict and absence of her TOR. HG’s deportation was most unjust, was a life changing experience, should certainly have been included in the TOR and we sought confirmation.

A promise was made re tangible assistance, we would receive a copy of the report made from notes taken at the meeting, HG agreed to attend a further meeting and I would continue to be the intermediary and all communications would be through me. We would receive a copy of Dame Heather’s TOR which we anticipated would include HG’s arrest and deportation. We also expected John Gladwin to brief Dame Heather of our meeting and agreements. To date no assistance has been given, no clarification given re the TOR, no second meeting has been arranged and Dame Heather has not interviewed HG.

What is the significance of HG’s arrest and deportation? For a full account it would be helpful to read my Blog “Did the punishment fit the crime? “ posted on 14th May to read please click HERE. In summary by 2010 HG felt a great sense of injustice, not only did she believe that the Dean, the former Bishop Michael Scott -Joynt and Safeguarding Officer Jane Fisher had failed to satisfactorily deal with her complaint against the Church Warden but there was no way they could be accountable as even her complaint to the Arch Bishop of Canterbury about their failure was ignored. In short she felt betrayed and humiliated. This betrayal is exacerbated following the recent June meeting.

In attempting to seek justice she made repeated telephone calls and sent emails to the Dean, Bishop and Jane Fisher. Korris claims that HG’s demanding and abusive emails swung between anger and fear. I am not condoning HG’s actions but I do question whether they were deserving of being arrested, detained in La Moye Prison for 2 weeks before being deported, left destitute in the UK and banned from returning to Jersey for 3 years.

Korris on page 41 says; “The decision and manner of HG’s deportation requires further investigation. It is clearly a matter of concern that a vulnerable adult in such a distressed state could be removed from Jersey with no thought to her imminent care needs.”

In page 47 in her list of recommendations which form the basis of the Steel TOR Korris records; “There will also need to be an investigation into the deportation of HG on 11th October 2010 and why there is there is a complete lack of recording of this matter by Dean RK from the date of her arrest.”

The Steel TOR was published in August and it is unclear whether the deportation is included so to seek clarification. I sent emails to Dame Heather on 15th & 27th August, 3rd, and 9th and 20th September, I also said that I would be pleased to meet her to discuss the matter. John Gladwin was copied in to all these emails.
Last Thursday 3rd October I again emailed Dame Heather with copy to John Gladwin stating that I would be drafting another Blog on Monday and asked whether the arrest and deportation were in the TOR and if she intended to meet me.

Unfortunately I have not received a reply and one is left to wonder whether Dame Heather is incredibly busy, inefficient or just rude. On her appointment Bishop Tim Dakin, said, “We are enormously grateful that Dame Heather has offered her considerable expertise to us all. As I have said before, we cannot stress enough the importance of safeguarding. We are committed to understanding fully the circumstances of this complaint and to ensuring that we take whatever action is required to ensure that our Church is a safe haven for the vulnerable.”

It is becoming evident that neither the Church nor Dame Heather is really interested in fully understanding HG’s complaint let alone address it and the real purpose of the Visitation is to address the Constitutional issue. This claim was made by the Dean’s supporters months back who claim that the Dean and HG are just pawns in a much bigger game.

It is now 7 months since the Dean was suspended and on Friday it will be 3 years to the day that HG was deported. If the Visitation is to have any credibility then Dame Heather must abide with Jan Korris’s recommendation and investigate HG’s deportation. The least she can do is to clarify her TOR and if she has no intention of reviewing the deportation issue then someone else should be appointed to so. It seems inconceivable that any report can be compiled unless all the concerns are addressed, and the complainant and all the witnesses are interviewed. 

To read “Did the punishment fit the crime” please click HERE.


59 comments:

  1. You had better send this to the Bishop and Dame Steel and co, Bob, :) I had better link it to my blog. HG

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  2. This breaks my heart to read, just knowing how her mistreatment effected her entire life, more so after the abuse itself. To make her a pawn in their game is to support evil within the guise of religion.

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    1. but an amazing new life has grown out of the ruins, and as long as the Diocese and Steel are prevented from ripping this new life from me, as soon as they give up and move on, I can also move on, with the only thing damaging me and holding me back being the record that they have given me, so don't break your heart. :) HG

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  3. Dear Bob, thank you for posting this very honest straight written report. This is not good enough for Dame Heather to not make contact with you. The tax payer pays her a salary. Just not good enough, I can see there is a huge conflict of interest, she has no role to play in investigating the above, no role at all. We do not need a 'woman' of Steel, what we need is a woman or man of integrity and care and to do the correct thing. So Dame Heather Steel if you are reading this, let someone else deal with this matter, you are not the correct person for this job, you don't respond to Bob's emails, which is quite simply rude and extremely arrogant of you. HG, my thoughts are with you and Bob too. x

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    1. Thank you, one can only assume that Dame Heather is not looking into the deportation, its a pity she can't give an explanation.

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    2. Thank you anon. Yes it is rude of Steel, and the Bishop, to refuse to correspond with Bob, and in the case of the Bishop, I wonder just why he wouldn't correspond through Bob? HG

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  4. Who does Dame Heather Steel think she is? she is showing herself up!

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  5. There is no place for Dame Heather Steel. There are plenty of people who could do the job of investigating this case properly.

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  6. I agree with Anon at 20.47. All I will say about Dame Heather/Bishop Dakin is that former Bishop Gladwin answered my letter and Bishop Dakin didn't. Draw your own conclusions.

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    1. A former Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham is given credit for the quotation For the quotation “Manners Maketh Man.” It still holds good today.

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  7. It really is no wonder they fear bloggers. The Terms of Reference for online investigative reporting are much broader than the government would ever allow for an official Enquiry. The bloggers outperform the state and state media on every level of investigation.

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    1. It is looking as though a damage limitation report could be on the way.

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    2. as in 'nothing happened, end of story'?

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  8. There needs to be a personal apology and not the public fake one that is all about image and a feel that look I am a great guy and care. Rather have a personal apology that no-one knows but is delivered sincere and with true conviction than the one given that is all about preserving an image of the church can do no wrong. No True Christian puts himself above and beyond the victim for personal gain. The rev has done this in the manner that this has all unfolded. Forget the pawns, the rev did not follow basic procedure, hindered an inquiry involving himself and did not follow good care principles. He should follow what he preaches!!!!. Thoughts go out to HG.

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  9. I agree re the apologies, unless they are given personally they do not exist.

    Your comment re the action taken at the time seems to be accurate.

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    1. yes, i never received any apologies and Tim Dakin had the audacity to claim to the BBC that he had personally apologized to me. HG

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  10. I have written to the OJC, (office for Judicial complaints) about Heather Steel's involvement, and if anyone else would like to back me by doing the same? Also Dame Steel did try to get my court records, why? HG

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  11. Bob thanks for another interesting Blog. I note that Dame Heather has not interviewed HG yet, do you know why and is she going to?

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    1. It is evident that Dame Heather does not want to meet me nor HG.

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  12. Dame Steel tried to access my court records without my permission and spoke to me very coldly when i objected, of course she doesn't want to interview me, that wont be in the agenda she has probably agreed with her colleagues in Jersey! HG

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  13. The Website of Peter Ould

    I also find it curious that the Diocese of Winchester cannot release Dame Steel’s Terms of Reference given that the whole investigation is based on safeguarding and the need for full transparency and accountability in these areas.

    http://www.peter-ould.net/2013/05/16/jersey-dame-heather-steel-begins-investigation/

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    1. The comment was in Peter Ould's Blog published in May. Dame Heather's TOR were not published until August but appear to have ignored looking into HG's arrest and deportation.

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  14. As an ex Catholic all this supports my title of "Ex", what with priests abusing children & cover ups plus stories like this I do not believe there is a god (small g intended) as if there was one it would not allow all these going ons. I believe that "believers" are more doffers of the cap to their "superiors" & religion is used as another way to convince them to follow the establishment & their higory pokery of keeping their power in times of political voting. Wish you were still in the House Bob,sorely missed.

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    1. It is a sad fact that the Church has a poor record of abuse and cover ups.

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  15. Dame Heather Steel you have no right to be dealing with this, get someone with the right manner, then it can begin. It's about getting the right person as much as it is sorting out what happened. My thoughts are with HG.

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  16. I think it may be time for me to re-submit my complaints to the church of england as they have not been dealt with. HG

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  17. The era in which the control of sensitive information was in the hands of authorities is over. The authorities have not fully digested this change and are shocked, horrified even, when they are exposed as complicit in wrongdoing or in obvious cover-ups.

    I fear HG is caught up in more than The Jersey Way, she is a victim, a casualty of war even, at this crossroads. The futile establishment struggle to maintain a grip on informational power is all the more tenacious as they feel that grip slipping. So, they battle by grasping and clawing at whatever or whomever is in their way. Right and wrong be damned.

    If it is any consolation to HG, the Jersey authorities have unknowingly lost the war but are surrounded and can't yet see through the fog to know their own dire position. They will be ever more exposed in their despicable mistreatment of HG, and in their mistreatment of so many, many others. Dame Heather is a tremendous fool and faces risk to her own legacy if she accepts Terms of Reference which render irrelevant HG's mistreatment by authorities. Senator Bailhache will have left his noticeable taint on her as on all those who do his bidding and he is no brilliant Machiavellian strategist. Machiavelli was the opposite of blinded by obliviousness.

    That HG was horribly wronged by Jersey's most powerful entities can no longer be hidden by desperate strategies. The dismantling of these cover-ups by independent journalists is now entrenched enough to expose this cover-up even before it is fully constructed. They will not succeed in sweeping the world wide web under an rapidly unraveling carpet.

    C.


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    1. Thank you for your thoughtful analysis. HG is not only a victim of the Church Warden but of the system that protects the favoured.

      HG and those who seek justice have been marginalised. Dame Heather’s appointment was questioned at the outset and one wonders why Bishop Dakin appointed her. She is to close to the Jersey Establishment and the fact that she has not seen HG or accepted my request to see her or even clarify her TOR is evidence of the impartial way she is conducting her investigation.

      Fortunately the Blogs are able to inform the public and keep the matter alive.

      Delete
    2. Hi Bob,
      "impartial" you say @07:14 - Is that a typo? can you edit/correct?

      Surely you mean "partial", as in : biased, prejudiced, partisan, one-sided, slanted, skewed, unbalanced ............. ?

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    3. Thanks, Hawkeye and well spotted. Yes it is typo and the word should be partial. I like your definitions.

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  18. Thanks anon, that is mind-blowing. I will be returning to Jersey tomorrow (11th) disguised as senator Bailhache in order to dodge the police who will be waiting to get me on trumped-up charges :) HG

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    1. LOL.
      In order to make the disguise convincing be sure to peruse various confidential documents in public :o)
      Police statements that you have no right to, would be especially good :-P

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    2. LOL, good plan HG :o)
      In order to make the disguise convincing be sure to peruse various confidential documents in public.
      Police statements that you have no right to would be especially good.

      Oh .......... and then "forget" you had them and proclaim that any suggestion that you had been reading or handling such material is "fictitious and malicious"

      www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJo9JbZ3z-o

      :-P

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    3. It's malicious, it's ficticious, I did no such thing, what plane? who am I? where do I live?
      How can Bailhache claim to be anything to do with God?
      Oh, I forgot, the Church of England is to do with money, power and control, not God! I had better get my friends who can access police records without question to provide what I need to get the archbishop to clear the Dean.

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    4. "where do I live? "

      .......... Philip, darling, I believe your future address is :

      Booth Number 6-66
      Flaying Department
      HELL

      All correspondence to be marked "C/O Tradesman's Entrance Augmentation Team"

      Such a shame you have taken so many family and friends with you.
      The fat of unbridled greed, lust and stupidity will burn long and slow.

      Hopefully most of the 17,000 odd who "worshiped false idols" will be spared.

      Delete
    5. shrieking with laughter at anon 10:58

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  19. Dame Heather Steele, you are not welcome. We need someone that has no links with the Establishment in Jersey, that answers Bob's emails and has the politeness to let people know what is going on. You don't need to go to a posh school to learn manners, of which Dame Heather you seem to have none.

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  20. RE the photo of Dame Heather in the errrr.... 'party hat'

    She looks as though she is away with the fairies - but you would have to be inebriated to be photographed in that fancy dress outfit without dying of embarrassment :-)

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    1. ah, well, sense of taste varies, it is her conflicted involvement that concerns me. HG

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    2. I know that I have a number of angry readers who are unhappy with Dame Heather and have submitted a number other comments which are not complimentary to her.

      I am always grateful for Comments but ask that readers comment on what Dame Heather has or has not done rather than what she looks like.

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  21. So HG has just arrived in Jersey

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    1. Oh, did you see someone dressed up as Bailhache?

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  22. Bob please can you confirm something, apart from Heather and the police, are there other people involved in the visitation who are conflicted?

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    1. Not that I am aware of but as I have not spoken to Dame Heather I don't know who else is assisting her.

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  23. Bob.

    Who (besides you) is supporting deported ABUSE VICTIM?

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    1. No one else as far as I know, but perhaps HG would confirm.

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    2. If we are talking regarding the church of england, no, no-one from there is, was or ever has supported me in this, in other contexts, I receive therapy and pastoral support and support from friends. I am very grateful to you bloggers collectively for what you have done to help and support me, especially you, Bob, even when you forget details.
      I am on the streets with flu right now, I need all the support I can get. HG

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  24. Bob, I would like to send you and other bloggers a letter regarding the continued use of the Jersey church of my supposed 'mental illness' to invalidate me. Such behaviour by them is as far from Christianity as it is possible to get and shows up that the church is not about Jesus, and it shows that they are in the dark ages and discriminate and patronize. Also that other islanders with 'metal health issues' will be treated the same if they are abused. As you know, at our meeting with John Gladwin, Christine Daley said I was not mentally ill, and my psychological reports both in La Moye and the recent report, show that I am not mentally ill, it is an exuse by the church and that is all.

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  25. C of E Priest, writer and broadcaster Peter Ould has done a number of postings on this.

    http://www.peter-ould.net/2013/08/01/jersey-interview-with-hg/
    "The whole thing is a mess. Spend some time on HG’s blog and you get a clear impression of her reliability as a witness [in a good way]. I suspect that there is a danger that this whole affair may unravel very quickly and leave a lot of egg on faces. The whole affair has become less about safeguarding and much more about truth telling (or the lack of it)."

    HG’s blog :
    http://dioceseofwinchesterchaos.blogspot.co.uk/
    HG, please note that it says "This blog is open to invited readers only"
    - consider making it open to all

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  26. wrong blog, anon? that one was closed down and one with a better structure was started. The new blog is not the one mentioned above, but I am not sure I can follow the post above. I am not ready to share with the world yet.
    I am also not sure about Peter Ould's involvement, I think he needs to focus on his ordained ministry, not my life, he reminds me of someone up a tree with binoculars. HG

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  27. Online 10 minutes ago :

    http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/346148/Royal-cover-up-Police-censor-Jimmy-Savile-interview-transcript
    Royal cover up: Police censor Jimmy Savile interview transcript

    PAEDOPHILE [& regular visitor to Jersey, along with .....] Jimmy Savile named the royal family in his bombshell interview with police but any mention of them was removed from the released transcripts.

    ..............

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    1. Thanks for the link which I have now opened and read. The article is really a speculative one with photos of royal figures and readers having to work out which of the royals the Daily Star is writing about. Space filling methinks.

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    2. Yes innuendo but no actual "revelations".

      But why have it removed if there is nothing to hide?

      We search for answers as to how these abuses go on so long and the invulnerability of many of the perpetrators.

      A major royal connection remains one of the possibilities. Bear in mind that whether you class paedophilia as a mental illness or as a sexual orientation - like those things it can equally affect your family, my family or the royal family.

      There are other explanations, including politics and MI

      http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/437954/Police-gunman-told-me-to-ignore-paedophiles-says-ex-child-protection-officer
      "A FORMER child protection officer claimed last night a Special Branch detective held a gun to his head to stop him investigating a VIP paedophile ring."
      Mr Fay said: “I was told by the police implicitly, ‘We do not want you to come to us with big names’.”

      Seemingly not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing campaign.

      How long before Mr Fay has his name dragged through the mud in the fight back?

      Delete
  28. It remains that while I am freely maligned, my side of things has not been included in any investigation. So, as far as I know, the version things by people who have harmed me or committed misconduct is the only side to be heard, recorded or published. Does that make a fair investigation? No.
    And by the way, was it Bruce Willing who made something up about me seeking compensation, among other incorrect statements? HG

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