Leader of Christian youth camp where the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby once volunteered dies as he faces police investigation for ‘beating’ boys in the 1970s 

• John Smyth, 77, has been found dead at his home in Cape Town, South Africa
• British police had recently requested that he return to the UK for questioning 
• Smyth allegedly groomed teens at camps where Justin Welby was a supervisor
• Welby says it was only many years later that he learnt of the alleged abuse

The leader of a Christian youth camp accused of savagely beating boys in a scandal that has embroiled the Archbishop of Canterbury has died.

The body of John Smyth, 77, was found on Saturday at his home in Cape Town, South Africa, shortly after British police had requested that he return to the UK for questioning. South African police said he had 'succumbed to death due to natural causes'.

Smyth allegedly groomed teenagers at summer camps where Justin Welby, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, was a dormitory supervisor in the 1970s.

Smyth is claimed to have later caned the boys at his home near Winchester in Hampshire.

The Archbishop says it was only many years later that he learnt of the alleged abuse meted out to more than 20 boys who attended the camps.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that Hampshire police had recently contacted Mr Smyth, a former barrister, after prosecutors ruled there was sufficient evidence to question him about the abuse of youngsters.

On hearing of his death, Andy Morse, one of his alleged victims, said: 'As terrible as some of the things he did were, I want everyone to remember he was a child once himself and that his family deserve some peace and quiet at this time.'

Allegations against Mr Smyth first emerged in the early 1980s in an internal report by the Iwerne Trust, which organised the camps – but the allegations were not reported to the police.

An alleged victim went public with concerns that there had been no inquiry five years ago, but it was only after a TV investigation screened last February that police launched an investigation.

Victims are considering legal action against the Archbishop for allegedly failing to act decisively enough after he was informed of the claims against Mr Smyth in 2013.

One victim claims that Smyth told him the beatings would 'help you become holy'. Another alleges that boys were made to wear adult nappies to let their wounds heal.

Richard Scorer, a solicitor acting for the alleged victims, said: 'I have been instructed by a number of Smyth's victims to pursue civil cases against the organisations involved.'

Archbishop Welby has apologised 'unequivocally' on behalf of the Church, but says he was working in Paris when the beatings allegedly occurred.