‘My missionary father abused hundreds of boys – I finally can see who he really was’

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John Smyth was the Church of England’s most prolific abuser, and the subsequent scandal triggered Justin Welby’s resignation. His daughter Fiona Rugg, 47, describes discovering the devastating truth about the darkness at the heart of her family

ome of my earliest memories are of watching my father surrounded by the boys who attended the Christian camps he ran. And as they laughed together in the sunshine, I can remember feeling confused. He seemed fun, charming even, so why was I so scared of him?

‘My missionary father abused hundreds of boys – I finally can see who he really was’

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