I explained it this way to my son...: you bring your children to the day care next to your best friend's house and he takes his children there too. He finds out that a paedophile works there...so he removes his children but chooses not to warn you...a few months later one of your own children is molested...How would you feel about your friend if you found out he knew but didn't warn you because he feared the consequences of exposing the pervert?
The congregation elders knew they had a pervert amongst them...they kept the matter confidential to protect the paedophile...until he molested a child or more...how can they live with that now?