Sex crimes ex-Bishop is drawing his pension while in prison

Martin Shipton

A disgraced former bishop who sexually abused a boy he christened as a baby is continuing to draw his Church in Wales pension while serving time in prison.

Anthony Pierce, 84, who was Bishop of Swansea and Brecon between 1999 and 2008, was jailed for four years and one month in March.

The offences were committed in the 1980s, when he was a parish priest in West Cross, Swansea in his late 40s and the boy was aged 14 and 15.

The victim disclosed what had happened to a Church in Wales safeguarding officer in 2023 and a police investigation was launched.

Reported

It later emerged that a separate allegation of sexual abuse by Pierce had been reported to senior figures in the church in 1993 but was only reported to police in 2010, by which time the victim had died.

Pierce pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault on a male child under the age of 16 during a hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

Judge Catherine Richards told Pierce that he was “trusted and respected” as a vicar by the parishioners of the church.

She continued: “That trust was misplaced. You abused one of the children of your parish. You had been involved in his life since you christened him,” she said.

“Any parent or adult at that time would understandably have trusted that their child was safe with you and you would act in accordance with your professed Christian values. Instead, you began to groom him.”

‘Exploited’

The judge said Pierce had “exploited” his position and his age, as the victim was 14 years old when the abuse started and Pierce was aged in his late 40s.

She added: “There will be many people who turned to you for spiritual guidance and support in this community who will inevitably feel let down and betrayed that a man in your position could behave in such a hypocritical way and in breach of the trust invested in you by the community.”

The judge described how Pierce had gone on to be appointed as a bishop, without any consequence for his offending, while his victim was left dealing with the devastating aftermath of what happened to him.

Unlike most employees who belong to a pension scheme, clerics do not have to make a contribution out of their salary towards their pension.

Police officers do pay into their pension scheme but when they are convicted of crimes associated with their job, their pension can be forfeited.

There is, however, no similar provision for clerics, and even though Pierce groomed and then sexually assaulted the boy, he remains entitled to his pension.

Churchgoer

We looked into the matter after a churchgoer contacted us and said: “As you are aware the ex Bishop of Brecon and Swansea is currently serving a prison sentence.I was wondering whether you could investigate whether he is still being paid a pension from The Church in Wales. The reason being that regular church goers in Wales, myself being one, have been introduced to the Church in Wales’ new strategy called Pruning for Growth which in a nutshell states that parishioners have to contribute more by one means or another to keep their church open.

“I understand that one of the Church in Wales’ biggest expenditures is retired clergy pensions. So understandably my concern is that pensions may still be being paid to those who I believe shouldn’t receive them.”

The police pension scheme has a whole section called Police Pension Forfeiture Guidance. It states: “Pension forfeiture applications can be made by the PSA [Pension Supervising Authority] where they consider that the requirements in the Police Pensions Schemes are met, namely, where a police officer, or former police officer who is, or was, a member of a police pension scheme has:

a) been convicted of a criminal offence committed in connection with their service as a member of a police force, and

b) the offence has been certified by the Secretary of State as either

i. liable to lead to a serious loss of confidence in the public service; or

ii. gravely injurious to the interests of the State.”

No equivalent guidance exists relating to the Church in Wales pension scheme.

‘Outraged

A spokesperson for the Church in Wales said: “We don’t have a provision for removing a pension. It’s only lawful to remove a pension, whether contributory or non-contributory, where there is pre-existing statutory authority to do so. There is such authority in the case of the police. But not in this case.”

John Pockett, a churchgoer who was highly critical of the former Archbishop of Wales, Andy John, before his recent departure from the role, said: “I am sure that many people will be outraged that a former bishop jailed for child sex crimes is able to receive his pension while serving time at His Majesty’s pleasure. The rules of the Church in Wales pension scheme need to be brought in line with the police pension scheme.”