Inquiry told of ‘unusual’ contact by Prince’s aide

AN AIDE to the Prince of Wales contacted police in 2013 to ask about “embarrassing” material it may have collected during an investigation into a paedophile bishop, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse heard.

A member of the Prince’s staff contacted the chief constable of Sussex Police to ask if information gathered during its investigation into Peter Ball, the former bishop of Lewes and of Gloucester, could “be embarrassing to the Prince or the monarchy in general”.

Ball, now 86, was convicted in 2015 of misconduct in public office after admitting to the sexual abuse of 18 youths.

Det Ch Insp Carwyn Hughes, who worked on the investigation, said Ball had a “long-lasting friendship” with the Prince and the pair had exchanged several letters. The contact between police and royal staff was made after Ball’s brother, Michael Ball, sent a letter to the Prince. Yesterday, the officer told the inquiry he examined police records to see if they had collected any material that could “damage the reputation of Prince Charles”, and did not find any.

Calling the contact “highly unusual” on account of the Prince’s status, he said he wondered whether the Prince could be a witness in the inquiry.

He insisted that the Prince was not treated differently from “the man on the street” and that while he would have been notified if there was any relevant information, this would also have been the case for a member of the public. He added that he felt “no pressure” and did not feel the investigation had been influenced by the contact.

The inquiry is to be read a statement on Friday from the Prince of Wales, who maintained contact with the bishop after Ball was cautioned in 1993 for gross indecency.

He is expected to say in his statement that he did not know the caution involved an admission of guilt.