Prince Charles Denies Trying to Influence Pedophile Bishop Investigation, Says He was 'Misled'

Prince Charles has denied trying to influence the police investigation into a pedophile bishop.

Charles, 69, made a lengthy statement to a special inquiry in Britain following investigations into Peter Ball, whom the prince invited to his country home in the early 1990s.

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In the document read at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse on Friday, Charles said he was “misled” by the bishop who was found guilty in 2015 of a series of offenses against 18 men and jailed for nearly four years.

Prince Charles states, “At no stage did I ever seek to influence either of the police investigations, and nor did I instruct or encourage my staff to do so.”

Image zoom Peter Ball arriving at court for his sentencing in 2015. John Stillwell/PA/AP

But Charles did express his support for the bishop in a 1997 letter while condemning one of Ball’s accusers according to documents today released by the inquiry and cited by ITV.

Charles told Ball in 1997 that the accuser, whom he later learned was Neil Todd, was a “frightful, terrifying man” who was “up to his dastardly tricks again.”

Charles added, “I’ll see off this horrid man if he tries anything again.”

On Friday, Charles said in his statement to the inquiry that he initially believed the bishop because after the police investigation into Todd’s accusation of sexual abuse, no charges were immediately filed.

“That sequence of events seemed to support Mr. Ball’s claim that the complaint emanated from one individual, and that individual bore a grudge against him and was persecuting him, that the complaint was false, but that the individual had nonetheless profited from the complaint by selling his story,” Charles said in a statement to the inquiry.

“Events later demonstrated beyond any doubt, to my deep regret, that I, along with many others, had been misled.”

But Charles had continued to support Ball even after his resignation amid the scandal, according to inquiry documents.

When the bishop lost his home, Charles put him in touch with the Duchy of Cornwall, which Charles heads, enabling Ball and his brother to secure a new place to live. Charles also sent the brothers “small gifts of money,” he confirms in the letter to the inquiry.

Charles says that the true extent of the complaint against Ball didn’t come to his attention until the court case involving Ball in the fall of 2015.