- Cliff James lived with Peter Ball at age of 18 at Littlington in Lewes, East Sussex
- In 1977 Peter became Bishop in East Sussex and established residential project
- Cliff tells of abuse faced at hands of bishop in new BBC2 documentary tonight
- Says he was ‘ripe’ when he met the bishop, in desperate need of a father figure
- Bishop said he ‘got on with Queen Mother’ and often spoke of Charles friendship
A victim of the disgraced paedophile Peter Ball has claimed the bishop’s friendship with Prince Charles made him ‘impregnable’.
Cliff James first met the bishop at the age of 17 while interviewing to become part of Littlington, his residential project established in 1977 for young people in need of ‘spiritual guidance’. He later permanently moved into the Lewes home.
At the age of 18, Cliff’s relationship with Ball quickly took a disturbing turn as the religious figure began ‘grooming’ him and making him feel ‘guilty’ if he did not do what he asked.
In the new BBC2 documentary Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret, Cliff told of the abuse he endured at the hands of Ball within the home, including taking part in ‘humiliation’ rituals while naked, being ceremoniously beaten and forced to take part in mutual masturbation.
Cliff recalled: ‘If I let him down and didn’t want to do those things, he would rub his bald head and say, “Never mind, I thought Christ had chosen you for a very special reason, but don’t worry, very few people are chosen for the holy life.”
‘Of course by saying that he made me feel incredibly guilty and that I’d let down God – so I would do everything to try and make it up to him.’
He spoke of the close friendship Ball had with Prince Charles, whom he claims viewed the bishop as his ‘counsel’, and argued his affiliation with royalty enforced the idea that the bishop was ‘special’. Charles later expressed ‘deep personal regret’ for trusting Ball.
A victim of the disgraced paedophile Peter Ball (pictured left in 1992) has claimed the bishop’s friendship with the Prince of Wales (right) made him ‘impregnable’
Bishop Peter Ball, once the highest ranking clergyman in the Church of England, pictured in Littlington in Lewes, which was established to provide ‘spiritual guidance’ for young people in need
David Greenwood, a solicitor for the survivors of Ball, spoke of how the disgraced bishop spent ‘years’ cultivating relationships with those in power, such as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Cliff recalled: ‘He said how well he got on with the Queen Mother. Peter kept mentioning his friendship with Prince Charles in a flippant way, as anyone would talk about their friends.
