Fletcher and Smyth scandals: ‘who’ and ‘what’ – but not yet all the ‘whens’, ‘wheres’ or ‘whys’…

en explains the latest developments – and what may come

What has happened?

First, independent Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight published a ‘lessons learnt’ report into disgraced former minister Jonathan Fletcher’s time at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon from 1982 and 2012. Previously it had emerged that Fletcher had engaged in naked massages with men as well as beatings on their bare backsides, among other things.

Second, members of an Independent Advisory Group (IAG), which was assisting Thirtyone:eight, published its own report. The IAG is made up of an anonymous representative of Fletcher’s survivors, plus Sarah Smart, Graham Shearer and Dan Leafe – all conservative evangelicals.