Posts by defender of truth

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

Thankyou again Simon.

I've emailed Private Eye, no response from BBC yet. The story is covered again here:
Lawandreligionuk article

9

Child Abuse Trials

by Garrett in

i'm currently working something up to share with a few people.

i was wondering if anyone knew the current number (estimation) of child abuse cases that are going on (that we know about)?

i don't get much time to be on here right now but it seems that cases are sprouting everywhere.

defender of truth

Look at the scan on this page, 27 in the UK..

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/147460003/more-child-abuse-issues-todays-sunday-times

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

This is a landmark case involving a group that is gaining public interest (as well as that of the Charity Commission), due to their lack of proper child protection policies.
It will be worth keeping an eye on, or possibly even sending a reporter.
(more cases are yet to come if you read the full article) :

"A WOMAN who was abused from the age of four by a senior officer of the Jehovah’s Witnesses has lodged a £500,000 claim for compensation in a test case that could open the door to hundreds more suits involving members of the religious organisation in the UK.

Judges sitting at the High Court in London have been told that Abigail (not her real name) was first molested after Bible-study classes in Leicestershire by Peter Stewart, a ministerial servant of the organisation.

The abuse, which included alleged rape, continued for five years until Abigail was nine, and took place in her home, his home, in a shed and in cars, the court was told.."

Link
..................

The Charity Commission is investigating them as a matter of public interest related to the safeguarding of children:
"The regulator opened a case into the charity in July 2013 to examine concerns about the trustees’ approach to dealing with safeguarding matters and discuss the scope of the trustees’ duties and responsibilities under charity law in connection with safeguarding issues...
The inquiry is about the regulator assuring itself about the policy, procedures and practices in light of recent events.

The Commission’s duty to protect public trust in charity has prompted it to open a formal inquiry to investigate these concerns.

The Commission’s concerns have been amplified by recent criminal cases concerning historic incidents of abuse involving individuals who appear to have been connected to Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations and/or the charity.

In addition, there has been growing public interest in how the charity and congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses deal with safeguarding matters."

Link
...........

The Watchtower chose not to even respond to the courts production order (they were ordered to produce relevant child protection policy documents) for six months which, as the judge stated, meant that the safety of children could still be at risk.

"At a tribunal last week, judge Alison McKenna said the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain had caused prolonged delays to the regulator’s investigation leading to “ongoing risks” to children.

"The Charity Commission initially opened an inquiry into the charity in May 2014 to investigate if adequate safeguarding procedures were in place, following revelations that trustees of the charity had allowed a convicted paedophile to question his victims."

"Jonathan Rose, an elder of the New Moston congregation, was jailed for nine months for abusing two women when they were young girls, the Manchester Evening News reported.
According to the paper, after his release in March 2014, a series of “disfellowship” meetings were held to decide whether Rose should remain a member of the organisation, and the women were asked to recount their ordeal. At one meeting, Rose was allowed to ask the women questions."

"The regulator said at the time that it has had “ongoing serious concerns” about the charity and had previously opened regulatory compliance cases into the Watch Tower Bible in July 2013 and the New Moston congregation in December 2013...

McKenna said the charity’s delay of “over six months” in making the extension application to the tribunal “elongated unreasonably the period of time” in which the Commission would be “delayed from carrying out its inquiry pending determination of a challenge to its decision”.

“I give weight to the fact that the [Commission’s] inquiry and production order relate to safeguarding matters which could… logically concern on-going risks to people who are still children”, she said.

McKenna said: “it seems to me that the continuation of the court proceedings was [the charity’s] main priority at that time… I also conclude that there was not a good explanation for it...”

Link
.............
The 10/14 Elders letter: ('Elders' are the men who lead and supervise all congregation activities.)

Only if the brothers at the branch office determine that someone is a “predator” can parents in the local congregation be warned of his tendencies. Only if the branch office decides that someone is a “known child molester” can he be blocked from ever serving as an elder.

Please read it when you have time.(It's now in the public domain)

Link

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

Sorry about that, it was probably a phone compatibility thing.

Anyway, that was the idea for a story that I sent to the BBC.

Why not give it a go?

http://bbc.co.uk/news/10725415

I've also contacted the Independent and Wales online to ask them to follow up on this charity commission story..

Joe, did you pass on those links to Private Eye? Or can someone do it?

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

Jehovah's Witnesses refused leave to appeal to charity tribunal over regulatory action

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/jehovahs-witnesses-refused-leave-appeal-charity-tribunal-regulatory-action/governance/article/1337542

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Joe Grundy, did you manage to send any of those links?

6

Judges says Jehovah's Witnesses charity's attempt to delay inquiry led to 'ongoing risks' to children

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/news/content/19237/charitys_elongated_delay_to_commission_inquiry_led_to_ongoing_risks_to_children_says_judge.

jehovah's witnesses charity's attempt to delay inquiry led to 'ongoing risks' to children, says judge.

governance | emily corfe | 10 mar 2015 .

defender of truth

Hope you don't mind if I re-post for readability..

Thankyou for posting this.

"A judge has ruled not to allow a Jehovah’s Witnesses charity more time to appeal against a Charity Commission statutory inquiry.

At a tribunal last week, judge Alison McKenna said the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain, had caused prolonged delays to the regulator’s investigation leading to “ongoing risks” to children.

The Charity Commission initially opened an inquiry into the charity in May 2014 to investigate if adequate safeguarding procedures were in place, following revelations that trustees of the charity had allowed a convicted paedophile to question his victims.

Jonathan Rose, an elder of the New Moston congregation, was jailed for nine months for abusing two women when they were young girls, the Manchester Evening News reported.

According to the paper, after his release in March 2014, a series of “disfellowship” meetings were held to decide whether Rose should remain a member of the organisation, and the women were asked to recount their ordeal. At one meeting, Rose was allowed to ask the women questions.

The regulator said at the time that it has had “ongoing serious concerns” about the charity and had previously opened regulatory compliance cases into the Watch Tower Bible in July 2013 and the New Moston congregation in December 2013.

Last week, judge McKenna, said the charity was given 42 days to make an appeal but overran the allocated time period and instead called for a time extension while applying for a separate judicial review at the Administrative Court.

Delays

McKenna said the charity’s delay of “over six months” in making the extension application to the tribunal “elongated unreasonably the period of time” in which the Commission would be “delayed from carrying out its inquiry pending determination of a challenge to its decision”.

“I give weight to the fact that the [Commission’s] inquiry and production order relate to safeguarding matters which could… logically concern on-going risks to people who are still children”, she said.

McKenna said: “it seems to me that the continuation of the court proceedings was [the charity’s] main priority at that time… I also conclude that there was not a good explanation for it”.

The judge noted that the charity would not be able to challenge the decisions of the Commission if its application “to proceed out of time is not allowed”.

“I accept that that is a serious matter,” she said. “However, it seems to me that the charity, in adopting the litigation strategy it did, must have factored that risk into account.

“I also note that the [Commission] has already delayed its inquiry and the enforcement of compliance with the production order for over six months while the charity mounted a challenge to its decisions, in the forum of its choice. It does not seem to me that it would be fair and just to allow the charity to start new proceedings in the tribunal now and thus and delay matters further, having taken the course that it did.

“In these circumstances, I do not consider that it would be appropriate to… extend time to allow this application to proceed out of time and I now refuse the charity’s application.”

The Watch Tower was approached by Civil Society News for comment but did not respond by the time of publishing. "

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

Sorry, I didn't see you had edited yours before I posted mine. What a muddle up ;)

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

I just posted the link to it ;)

This is the infamous october 2012 letter, which states that they decide who is a predator and that only a 'known child molester' will never be an elder again. It is now in the public domain, and Private Eye and other investigators (maybe even the Charity Commission) need to see this...

http://jwleaks.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/submission-to-child-abuse-inquiry-by-watchtower-bible-and-tract-society-of-australia-annexure-1.pdf

76

WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

by Viva la Vida in

the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

here is the ruling:.

http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

defender of truth

Well done, excellent idea.

I am still in, so I'm not sending any emails.

But if you would care to pass these on in my behalf, I'd really appreciate it.

http://jwvictims.org/2015/02/26/the-governing-body-of-jehovahs-witnesses-outright-lie-about-being-permissive-toward-pedophiles-call-victims-liars/

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According to Jwleaks, the letter is publically available.

See this thread, and click the link Jwleaks provided for the letter download..

"jwleaks 2 years ago

JW LEAKS has published the written submission, and annexures, made by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia to the "Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Organisations" and dated April 9, 2013.

Included is a copy of the October 1, 2012 Body of Elders letter on the handling of child abuse. This places the letter into public domain and now means it can be shared internationally."

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/257673/australia-child-abuse-inquiry-written-submission-watchtower-society-including-october-1-2012-boe-child-abuse-handling-letter-july-28-2013

Link to scan of the letter here:

http://jwleaks.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/submission-to-child-abuse-inquiry-by-watchtower-bible-and-tract-society-of-australia-annexure-1.pdf

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And this article contains everything from a 9 month independent investigation:

http://www.revealnews.org/article/jehovahs-witnesses-use-1st-amendment-to-hide-child-sex-abuse-claims/

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If you can think of any.other agencies/ news outlets, please pass these on to them.

Got to go. Best of luck ;)

76