John Smyth, a notorious abuser linked to the Church of England, evaded justice for decades, with police reportedly not acting on allegations due to systemic issues and an ‘active cover up’ within the church. The Makin report reveals that while evidence existed since the 1980s, it was suppressed, allowing Smyth to abuse over 100 victims. Despite a later investigation prompted by media coverage, Smyth died in 2018 before he could be prosecuted, leaving many victims without closure.