A Church of England vicar who groomed and sexually abused multiple young girls at a youth group in Britain before emigrating to Australia took his own life last November after allegations of child sexual misconduct against him were formally substantiated, an independent investigation has found.
The Reverend Kesh Govan, 50, from Bolton, served in the Dioceses of Manchester and Lichfield before relocating to Brisbane, where he became known locally as the Singing Vicar. Following his death, the Anglican Church Southern Queensland commissioned an independent review into his conduct, which concluded that he had “groomed and sexually abused multiple female children within one youth group while living in the United Kingdom.” No evidence was found to suggest he had committed similar offences during his time in Australia.
The Most Reverend Jeremy Greaves, Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, issued a full apology on behalf of the church to those who had been abused. “Over the past decade, the church, both in Australia and the United Kingdom, has strengthened its policies, procedures and protocols,” he said. “However, it must do better.” He confirmed that evidence gathered during the investigation had been shared with authorities in both countries.
The church said a confidential pathway had been established for anyone who believed they, or someone they knew, may have been groomed or abused by Govan. Free counselling and support had also been offered to his family — who, the report noted, had no knowledge of his abuse of children prior to his death — as well as to members of the Brisbane congregations he had served.
The Dioceses of Manchester and Lichfield, where Govan had previously worked in Britain, described the findings as “deeply distressing, above all for those who have experienced abuse, and also for families, friends and communities.”
Govan’s background was unconventional. Born into a Hindu family, he described himself as a “wild child” until the age of 18, when he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and later told he had late-stage cancer. While hospitalised, he encountered Christians and began to pray, after which he made a full recovery. He initially returned to Hinduism before what he described as a spiritual vision drew him back to Christianity. He subsequently moved to Ireland before settling in Brisbane, where he also worked as a DJ at a local radio station and participated in school chapel services during his time in the UK.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, confidential support is available from the Samaritans on 116 123 or at samaritans.org. Further support can be found at thecalmzone.net/get-support
