A PAEDOPHILE Bishop escaped prosecution for sex abuse for years after MPs and Church leaders leapt to his defence.

MPs, two Archbishops of Canterbury, private school headmasters and even a judge sang Peter Ball's praises after he was accused in 1993 of molesting a teenage monk in his home.

They were among 12 of Ball's supporters who wrote to the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions claiming it was "inconceivable" he had committed such crimes.

A Freedom of Information request to the Crown Prosecution Service has revealed that the then Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, in a letter to the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire, described the "excruciating pain and spiritual torment" Ball suffered because of the allegations.

A previous Archbishop, Donald Coggan, backed up those sentiments as he called Ball "a godly man".

Lord Chief Justice Anthony Lloyd called Ball, who had served at Bishop of Lewes and of Gloucester, "the most gentle, upright and saintly man I have ever met".

And after former Conservative Cabinet Minister Tim Renton said the disgraced Bishop's greatest punishment would be knowing he had "broken his vows of chastity", Ball was let off with a caution after admitting a count of gross indecency, while other cases were dropped.

Ball, now 83, who resigned in the wake of the investigation, returned to the Church after two years and officiated in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, where he lived at Aller, near Langport, until 2010, He was eventually jailed for 32 months last October after admitting offences involving 18 teenagers, one as young as 13, and young men between 1977 and 1992.

Other establishment figures who supported Ball before he was brought to justice included former Tory MP Tim Rathbone, who wrote: "I find it inconceivable that he would ever become involved with anyone in the way the newspapers have described."

Former Harrow School headmaster Ian Beer said Ball was "almost saintly" and had shown a "remarkable influence for the good with the young".

And James Woodhouse, former head of Rugby School, said Ball's "intention towards all people...is wholly that of Christian concern and compassion".

It was claimed at Ball's trial that he was friendly with Prince Charles, but the CPS has said it has no knowledge that the heir to the throne intervened on his behalf.

The current Archbishop of Canterbury has commissioned an independent review into the case which will be published later this year.