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A church which allowed a convicted paedophile to grill his traumatised victims about his twisted crimes is under investigation.

The Charities Commission has confirmed it has launched a probe into the ‘Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain’ after elders at one Jehovah’s Witness church allowed pervert Jonathan Rose to question his victims over his crimes.

The society is the governing body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith in the UK.

Rose, 40, was released from jail in March this year after being convicted of molesting two girls, one aged five the other 10, at the Manchester congregation where he belonged.

He returned to the congregation but his victims, now women, complained and demanded he be banned.

However, elders at the church told the women they must first recount their ordeal - while Rose was also allowed to ask them about the abuse for which he was jailed.

The Commission told the Manchester Evening News the investigations into the national Jehovah’s Witnesses and the local congregation were 'separate but linked’.

The probe will look at 'safeguarding matters', compliance with charity law, advice given to local congregations and the 'administration, governance and management' of the Manchester congregation as a charity.

A spokesman said: "The Commission has serious concerns about this congregation, opening a case into it in December.

"There has also been recent press coverage in connection with the conviction and release of a former trustee.

"The Commission's concerns have been amplified by recent criminal cases concerning historic incidents of abuse involving individuals who appear to have been connected to Jehovah's Witnesses congregations and/or the charity.

"There has been growing public interest in how the charity and congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses deal with safeguarding matters."