THE Bishop of Bath and Wells has outlined Church moves to protect children from sex offenders after a vicar was jailed for molesting youngsters.
The Rt Rev Peter Price, speaking after the Rev David Smith, 52, of Clevedon, was sentenced to five and a half years for attacking six youngsters, said stringent new policies were constantly reviewed.
The Bishop added: "Today before priests and ministers are appointed, they are subject to Criminal Record Bureau checks which are repeated every three years, they have to make child protection declarations, they receive regular training and regular reviews.
"Every parish has a child protection officer and all our policies and practices are overseen by a Child Protection Group, which includes senior police officers, including some with child protection experience, lawyers and a professional child protection officer."
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