AS someone occasionally spotted in a Catholic church, like many others I feel bewildered. You know that saying about Herod being in charge of a creche? Somehow a man, who was eventually caught in possession of 4,000 online images of children being abused, became the safeguarding officer – a child protection role – for the Diocese of Plymouth that covers most of Dorset.

Chris Jarvis, a man charged by the church with investigating paedophile behaviour, was last week jailed for a year for possessing sickening images of children. Those poor children.

The Pope has, in the past, rightly apologised for the criminal actions of certain priests and robust safeguards were introduced. Robust enough?

The Bishop of Plymouth, too, has responded swiftly to the Jarvis disgrace with openness, acknowledging Jarvis’ criminal activities as deeply shameful and destructive, recognising the impact of his betrayal of trust, and ordering a wholesale review of its child protection processes, which is being carried out by the NSPCC. Absolutely right.

It must be said Jarvis had no previous record of such behaviour and, as far as can be judged, nothing could have led the church to suspect he had abusive inclinations until the police raised the alarm. He was suspended, then dismissed.

In Catholic parishes today there are vigilant networks of caring, hardworking safeguarding officers busily and effectively doing this vital, sensitive work with painstaking integrity.

So could the church have done anything else to have prevented Jarvis getting into the key co-ordinating protective role? There was one way they could have substantially reduced the risk.

By giving the job to a woman.