Overview
- Trevor Gribben said he will leave the moderator role at the end of the month and retire as Clerk of the Assembly and General Secretary.
- Church leaders detailed failures including not following Taking Care guidance, poor record-keeping, missed referrals to statutory authorities, inadequate responses to concerns, and weak monitoring of offenders returning to worship.
- Dr David Bruce has been named to take over as moderator at month’s end, and the person who led safeguarding during the reviewed years is no longer in post.
- The Church issued an unreserved apology and invited anyone affected to contact its safeguarding team for support.
- Communities Minister Gordon Lyons urged greater clarity about the findings, while the acting Clerk said the PSNI are investigating one individual and that people have come forward in three congregations on both sides of the border.