A REVIEW has found that a British vicar sexually abused young girls before moving to Australia.
The Rev Kesh Govan, 50, took his own life in November after allegations of sexual misconduct with girls at a youth group in the UK were “substantiated”, reported The Telegraph.
The Anglican Church Southern Queensland later commissioned an independent investigation, which found he had groomed and sexually abused several victims.
In a statement, the church said its investigation found that Govan had “groomed and sexually abused multiple female children within one youth group while living in the United Kingdom”.
Govan, known as the Singing Vicar, was born in Bolton, Greater Manchester, to a Hindu family and later converted to Christianity. He trained in Durham and served as a vicar in Bolton before moving to Ireland and then Brisbane.
During his time in Britain, he also worked as a breakfast DJ at a local radio station and took part in school chapel services, reported The Telegraph.
The report said parishioners in Brisbane, where Govan had served, were “provided with a confidential pathway for people to come forward if they, or someone they know, was groomed or sexually abused by Govan”. It added: “The Govan family, who had no knowledge of Govan’s sexual abuse of children prior to his death, and the St Stephen’s and All Saints communities have also been offered free confidential counselling and support.”
The investigation found no evidence of abuse in Australia. Jeremy Greaves said: “On behalf of the church, I would like to issue a sincere and complete apology to the survivors of Govan’s child sexual abuse."
