Lacie Jones, pictured as a child, whose stepfather, a senior Jehovah’s Witness, was recently jailed for abusing her when she was younger
An exclusive New Daily Prime investigation has uncovered allegations that the Jehovah’s Witnesses organisation has been maintaining a secret database of child sexual abuse accusations against its members for the past 25 years at its UK headquarters. The details is documented by Telegraph.
The religious group, which has over 140,000 followers in Britain, is alleged to have collected detailed records of molestation accusations and stored them at its central office, known as Bethel or the “Branch” among its members.
The details available suggest that since the late 1990s, senior officials—referred to as elders—were instructed to log child abuse allegations and forward them to the organisation’s headquarters, now based in Chelmsford, Essex. Reports indicate that this directive has been repeatedly reinforced over the years, ensuring continuous record-keeping.
While similar databases have previously been exposed in the United States and Australia, this is the first time evidence has emerged suggesting such records exist in Britain.
Survivors of child abuse within the religious organisation are now demanding that the Jehovah’s Witnesses hand over any records of allegations to law enforcement.
One survivor, Lacie Jones, whose stepfather held a senior position within the Jehovah’s Witnesses and was recently jailed for abusing her as a child, has urged the organisation to take immediate action.
“They need to hand the database to the police straight away to ensure more children aren’t at risk,” she stated.
This revelation raises serious questions about the organisation’s approach to handling child abuse allegations among its members. Until now, much of the scrutiny regarding institutional cover-ups of sexual abuse has been directed at the Catholic Church, but this report highlights similar concerns within the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Calls for Transparency Amid Ongoing Investigations
In 2014, the UK Charity Commission launched an investigation into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, focusing on safeguarding concerns. Although the probe remains ongoing, court documents reveal that investigators have attempted to obtain the organisation’s child protection policies and data records—believed by some to be an effort to access this alleged database.
Despite multiple requests, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have not confirmed whether they have shared this information with the authorities. However, in a statement, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses insisted that their current policies require leaders to report abuse cases to the police whenever it appears that a child is in danger.
Leaked documents show systematic record-keeping of abuse cases. Source revealed that in 1997, elders in Britain and Ireland were instructed to submit reports containing: The age of the victim, identity of the alleged abuser and whether the abuse was a “one-time occurrence” or a repeated pattern
A letter circulated among Jehovah’s Witnesses leadership in 1997 also warned that some individuals accused of molestation “were or now are serving as elders, ministerial servants, or special pioneers.”
The recording and archiving of abuse allegations reportedly began even earlier—in 1991, elders were instructed to document child molesters to prevent them from moving between congregations undetected.
Since then, multiple documents have emerged, directing congregational leaders to systematically record and securely archive allegations of abuse, with much of the information reportedly being sent to the headquarters in Chelmsford.
Further investigation, as documented by The Telegraph and available to the New Daily Prime, uncovered a five-page questionnaire given to elders who had reported abuse within their congregations.
This form, featuring a London-based phone number, required elders to document: The total number of alleged victims, the nature of the abuse and actions taken against the alleged abuser
It remains unclear what happens to these forms after they are submitted, but they provide a glimpse into the level of information being collected centrally.
Separately, New Daily Prime has also reviewed a “Child Protection” document from a British congregation, which requests detailed information about alleged abuse cases, including the identities of victims, abusers, and any disciplinary actions taken.
Congregations are also believed to keep records explaining why certain individuals have been “disfellowshipped”—a term the Jehovah’s Witnesses use for expelling members over wrongdoing, which could include cases of child abuse.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Deny Wrongdoing, Defend Record-Keeping Policies
In response to the allegations, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses has insisted that their branch office only keeps brief notations on individuals who have committed child abuse, solely to prevent them from being appointed to leadership positions.
“This ensures that an individual who has committed child abuse is not appointed an elder or ministerial servant,” the organisation stated.
The group also pointed out that a recent UK inquiry into religious organisations did not criticise their record-keeping policies.
“We recognise that we are not immune to the evil of child sexual abuse. That is why we have endeavoured to address this pernicious evil at its root by providing members with guidance and education on the subject.”
The revelations uncovered by New Daily Prime have intensified calls for greater transparency within the Jehovah’s Witnesses organisation.
🔹Survivors are demanding that the database be turned over to the police
🔹 The UK Charity Commission continues its investigation into the group’s safeguarding policies
🔹 Questions remain over whether the Jehovah’s Witnesses have complied with legal reporting requirements
While the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny any wrongdoing, insisting that they have strict child protection policies, the existence of a 25-year-long record-keeping system raises serious concerns about how abuse allegations have been handled—and whether the proper authorities were ever informed.
Stay with New Daily Prime for ongoing updates as this story develops.
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