Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CHARLES AND THE PERVERT BISHOP’S BROTHER
Twin ignored child abuse allegations Prince let men live in Duchy house
THE twin brother of a paedophile bishop who was supported by Prince Charles “ignored” allegations of child abuse made against a member of his diocese.
Michael Ball, a former Bishop of Truro, Cornwall, said he “saw no need” to look into claims made against Jeremy Dowling, who was jailed in 2015 for indecent assault on boys between 1959 and 1977.
In a review by the Diocese of Truro into the crimes, Mr Ball admitted he did not open the “file full of stuff ” relating to the allegations.
He claimed he did not think it was necessary to look into the reports of abuse because police had not taken any action on them at the time.
Dowling was a prominent member of the church and was communications officer for the diocese from 1986.
According to the report, Mr Ball “speaks highly of his work”.
The review concludes there were “historic failings in the diocese in dealing with the allegations of child abuse against Jeremy Dowling”.
An inquiry is being held into the historic abuse by Michael’s twin brother Peter Ball, the former Bishop of Gloucester.
Evidence submitted to the inquiry included a letter from Prince Charles, who gave the brothers a home after Peter resigned.
In the letter, the Prince of Wales said: “In this context, I occasionally sent the brothers small gifts of money, as I occasionally do for people in need, and Peter Ball’s interest in becoming a tenant in a Duchy of Cornwall property arose.”
According to the prince, the brothers lived in Manor Lodge in Aller, Somerset, from 1997 until 2011.
In a statement, Prince Charles said he was “misled” by Peter Ball, as Ball said the allegations were from “an individual who bore a grudge” against him.
He added: “At no stage did I ever seek to influence the outcome of either of the police investigations into Peter Ball and nor did I instruct... my staff to do so.”
Clarence House declined to comment on the latest revelations.