A sex abuse survivor accused the Church of England of attempts to prevent him from sharing his story. Graham Sawyer was abused by Bishop Peter Ball in 1970 and 1980. In a General Synod fringe meeting Sawyer said he experienced harassment, vilification and intimidation when trying to speak about his experiences. Bishop Ball was jailed last December for misconduct in public office and indecent assault. He was cautioned in 1993 for gross indecency against a minor but was allowed to work in churches until 2010. Tuesday's ‘fringe meeting’ was organised by the Church Reform Group, of which Sawyer is the chair, and the National Council of Hindu Temples. The director of communications for the Church of England was not at the meeting and therefore unable to respond to the accusations. The Archbishop of Canterbury has promised that an independent inquiry into child abuse will be launched in the coming weeks.