Former Bishop of Grimsby denies disgraced vicar’s sex abuse was ‘swept under carpet’

Apr 4, 2016 by Andrew Symes

From Grimsby Telegraph.

A former Bishop of Grimsby claims the behaviour of a disgraced vicar who subjected a child to sex abuse was not swept under the carpet when it was first reported to him.

Stephen Crabtree, a former rector in East Lindsey, was jailed for three years by Lincoln Crown Court after admitting six counts of indecent assault on a 15-year-old victim.

In court, it was said the victim had reported the offences to the then Bishop of Grimsby, the Rt Rev David Rossdale.

Crabtree subsequently admitted the offences to the Bishop on two occasions but was only arrested in 2015 after the church carried out a review of past complaints and the matter was passed on to police.

Speaking to the BBC, the Rt Rev Rossdale said he was first made aware of the offence in 2000 by the victim and had tried to pursue it.

He said: “With hindsight one might have tried to do different things but one is always subject and guided by lawyers.

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