The Church of England's most prolific serial abuser, John Smyth, spent many of his early years on the Isle of Wight.

The recent independent review into Smyth has revealed some of the disgraced abuser’s past, including a formative experience on an Isle of Wight pier.

The Archbishop of Canterbury resigned following the shocking report into Smyth.

The independent Makin Review concluded Smyth might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.

Smyth, a barrister and evangelical Christian, chaired the Christian charity the Iwerne Trust from 1974 to 1982, which ran religious holiday camps for boys.

Smyth is said to have abused as many as 130 boys and young men over five decades, causing severe trauma to his victims.

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It was reported in the independent review published Smyth moved to the Isle of Wight in 1948 from Calgary, Canada.

It said Smyth “may have been attacked and possibly sexually assaulted, age nine or ten while out riding his bicycle” at the end of an Isle of Wight pier.

This event was reported in the psychology analysis report of John Smyth.

Dr Elly Hanson said in the report: “Whilst the vast majority of people who are assaulted in childhood do not go on to assault others, in his case this assault might have interplayed with his developing narcissism to increase his proclivity to abuse.

“For example, it may have underscored a view of relationships as largely involving dominance and submission, and a concomitant desire to always aim to entrench his power (possibly as part of an attempt to assuage a deep-rooted fear of powerlessness).

“Given how little we know however, this is somewhat speculative.”

In Keith Makin’s independent learning lessons review, it was reported: “The family moved to the Isle of Wight in 1948, moving away from the Brethren but remaining a strictly Evangelical family environment, with strong patriarchal beliefs in terms of women’s place, in society and religion, as well as homophobic views.”

Smyth studied law at Trinity Hall College, Cambridge and was called to the bar in 1965.

In 1979, he went on to be the youngest Queens Counsel at the time.

Reports in the County Press at the time said John J Smyth worked as a barrister on the Isle of Wight during the 1970s.