A comprehensive independent report has uncovered the extensive cover-up of horrific abuse by former barrister John Smyth QC within the Church of England, affecting over 100 victims. Smyth, who died in 2018, was found to have inflicted severe physical punishment on boys at Christian camps in the 1970s and 1980s. The Church admitted failures in reporting the abuse, with the Archbishop of Canterbury expressing deep remorse. While some victims received justice, Smyth evaded prosecution and lived abroad, raising concerns about accountability within the Church’s safeguarding practices.