Colman’s mustard heir and his Church of England minister wife step back from church roles

Nov 15, 2024 by Jill

by Elizabeth Haigh, Daily Mail:

Makin report claimed they knew of John Smyth’s sadistic abuse.

Church of England minister and her Colman’s mustard heir husband have stepped back from church activities after being named in a damning abuse report which prompted the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation.

Reverend Sue Colman, associate minister at St Leonard’s Church in Oakley, near Basingstoke in Hampshire, was aware of John Smyth’s abuse before being ordained, the independent Makin Review found.

The review noted that Mrs Colman and her husband, Sir Jamie, visited Smyth in Africa in the 1990s and funded the Smyths through a personal trust, while having ‘significant knowledge’ of the abuse.

Sir Jamie was chairman of the UK Zambesi Trust, while his wife was also a trustee.

Smyth has been found to have abused at least 130 boys and young men across five decades in the UK and Africa while running Christian camps, with the review finding the ‘abhorrent’ abuse was covered up by the church.

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