Police to investigate Presbyterian Church safeguarding scandal

The Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck announced a dedicated investigation team as part of its probe into safeguarding issues at the PCI

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed it is launching a criminal investigation following safeguarding concerns within the Presbyterian Church of Ireland (PCI).

Last week the church's moderator, Rev Trevor Gribben, resigned over "serious and significant failings" in safeguarding within the church between 2009 and 2022.

Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said that a dedicated investigating team has been established to make sure any perpetrators are "held to account".

The church said it welcomed the police investigation and would be "co-operating fully" with it.

A spokesperson for the church said: "We will make available all relevant files, reports and information to assist police with their inquiries."

"As a consequence of the PSNI's announcement today of their investigation we will not be able to make any further comment related to the inquiry or aspects pertaining to it," it added.

Earlier, the church's former head of safeguarding said she had no confidence that the current leadership can deal with safeguarding issues appropriately alone.

Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin took up her role in the PCI in 2019, and was the sole person responsible for safeguarding congregations in more than 500 churches across the island of Ireland.

Asked by BBC News NI for a response to Dr Montgomery-Devlin's comments, the PCI said it had nothing further to add to what it already put into the public domain.

Police appeal to victims

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, ACC Beck said the PSNI has been liaising with a number of statutory authorities since last week's announcement from PCI.

He said he hoped by establishing a dedicated investigation team it would help victims to get justice.

Making a direct appeal to victims, he said that officers were keen to hear from them.

"I recognise this might be difficult and you may not be ready - that is OK," he said.

"We want to hear from you, you will be treated with sensitivity, with respect and with professionalism."

ACC Beck said to preserve the integrity of the investigation, police would not be commenting on specific allegations or individuals at this stage.

"However I will confirm that this investigation will seek to establish victims of offending and their perpetrators, and if criminal offences have been committed by those responsible for safeguarding," he added.

Geraldine Hanna said the collaboration between authorities needs to be victim-focused

ACC Beck said the investigation was at a very early stage, and that a "small number" of victims have come forward.

"It's not the number that's important at this stage, it's that there are victims out there," he said.

"This will be a victim led investigation. It will be robust."

The Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime, Geraldine Hanna, welcomed the PSNI's announcement which put the needs of victims at the centre.

"When an individual is failed by an institution, it can be difficult but when that institution is their church - the centrepiece of their faith - it can be devastating," she said.

She added that it was important that the church has acknowledged its failings, and there needs to be clear pathways of support for those who come forward.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, whose department oversees safeguarding under its Social Care Policy, said his officials and those in the Health and Social care system are co-operating full with police into the concerns, and urged any and all victims to come forward "when they are ready".

Former safeguarding head criticises church leadership

Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin has spoken out publicly for the first time following last week's announcement by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, she says, to clear her name

Earlier, safeguarding expert Dr Montgomery-Devlin said during her five years in post, it was a "struggle" for higher authorities to take safeguarding seriously.

When she became the PCI's head of safeguarding, Dr Montgomery-Devlin said there was a "significant" gap in sensitive records kept by the church.

"There weren't any hard copies, there was next to nothing electronically on the system, so that was one of my first tasks that I gave myself because nobody was telling me what to do," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

She also accused the church of having a "culture of control" and that higher authorities did not "understand safeguarding".

"If they didn't understand safeguarding I was there to educate them about it but it wasn't a priority for them," she added.

Ministers 'surprised' by safeguarding responses

When safeguarding issues were raised to Dr Montgomery-Devlin by ministers, she said they were "surprised" to get a response.

"The pain I heard about, of people who said they had been victims in the past in the church and suffered in silence because… nobody was listening or the structures weren't there to come forward and talk so I was proactive, I was there to listen."

Dr Montgomery-Devlin left the church in June 2024, and signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), but she said that is not linked to this issue.

"My life's work has been about safeguarding so I would never sign an NDA in relation to safeguarding," she emphasised.

In a statement to media last week, Rev Trevor Gribben said "people have been placed at risk" due to the failings

Following Rev Gribben's departure, Dr Montgomery-Devlin said the church could not fix the issue alone, and that external safeguarding experts need to be brought in.

"No organisation can, nor should they, do [an internal investigation] if they're wanting to be open and transparent and truly make change," she added.

"If they're wanting to be open about the past and the present, any failings and make change in the future they need to let go of that control that they so desperately have to have and be open to the experts externally who can advise them on what they need to do."

She also said that the internal report, which triggered the moderator's resignation, should be published - even if it is partially redacted.

"This is about protecting the innocent, protecting the victims and survivors now," she said.

"You cannot just trust whenever you have had such failings without showing what the change is in order to make things better and that's not going to happen overnight either, it's not going to happen next week, next month or even next year."

Calls for public inquiry

Dr Montgomery-Devlin said the next steps should be a external, public inquiry, as well as involvement by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to begin a criminal investigation into some aspects.

When asked if people can trust the church and be safe within it, she said she could not be sure.

"I'm not there now, but because I can't answer that fully that maybe says something in itself."

What has happened up to this point?

William Maher, 37, of Kings Brae in Belfast, pictured outside Belfast Crown Court

Rev Trevor Gribben's resignation sparked a tumultuous week for the church.

The acting clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Dr David Allen, said the church had initiated an investigation after receiving information from the PSNI in May.

The BBC understands a former teacher who was convicted of child sex offences is one individual who sparked safeguarding concerns.

William Maher, from Belfast, was given a two-year sentence, with half to be served in prison and half out on licence, after admitting three charges of inciting two different children under the age of 13 into sexual activity.

BBC News NI understands Maher was a volunteer youth worker with the Presbyterian Church.

The situation has been made even more turbulent by the suggestion that earlier warnings about safeguarding issues were not taken seriously.

Ian Elliott, an independent safeguarding expert who was invited to advise the PCI as part of a previous review panel, said he raised concerns about a failing culture of safeguarding in 2023, but those concerns were effectively set aside.

The timeline of his claim also directly challenges the church's current narrative, that the scale of the issue only came to light in May 2025.

On Sunday, a statement was read to all congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland on behalf of Rev Dr David Allen. It said that a special meeting of the Church's general assembly will be held in December.