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Paedophiles 'turning Christian to target children in church'
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
THE TELEGRAPH
LONDON (7/5/2005)--Children are at growing risk from paedophiles who convert to Christianity in prison and join a church on their release, a government-backed charity said yesterday.
The Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service said that five churches a week were asking for its help, partly because of an influx of sex offenders who had "found God" on evangelical "Alpha" courses in jail.
With the backing of the police, the service has produced advice for clergy who face the dilemma of wanting to welcome new members into their congregations while protecting young worshippers.
It will launch a DVD next week that features a paedophile who groomed children for abuse in a church and it will issue leaflets with titles such as "Help... a sex offender has joined my church."
The DVD, Supporting Offenders Safely - the Supervision and Pastoral Care of Sex Offenders, which has been part-funded by the Department for Education and Skills, tells clergy that they have to be realistic about the risks posed by convicted abusers and take tough action if necessary.
Churches should insist that paedophiles sit well apart from children and refuse hospitality from families unaware of their past.
In some cases, where professionals believe there is a risk of re-offending, child abusers should be told to join a church where there are no children in the congregation.
Simon Bass, a spokesman for the Service, said that clergy must be on their guard because some churches had been ruthlessly exploited by paedophiles, who have often held senior posts.
The charity estimates that up to three quarters of child abusers are regular members of church congregations or religious groups.
"Churches know that the Gospel commands Christians to receive back the repentant sinner, even former child abusers, and the success of the Alpha course in prisons and other initiatives means that there are growing numbers of offenders who are now looking to join church communities," said Mr Bass. "We must not be naive, however, as some churches have been in the past. The fact is that some offenders are simply too dangerous to be allowed anywhere near children and it therefore may not be appropriate for them to be part of some churches."
The charity provoked controversy earlier this year by calling for an amnesty for internet paedophiles who hand over their computer pornography to the police.
It argued that offenders should be "spared the humiliation of a court appearance and a formal prosecution" if they agreed to see a psychiatrist.
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