Victim calls Archbishop of York’s response to abuse case ‘insulting’

A victim of an alleged sex abuser priest has called for the Archbishop of York to step down over his “insulting and upsetting” response to his handling of the case.

The anonymous woman questioned the “moral compass” of Stephen Cottrell, the Church of England’s second most senior bishop, saying the Church “deserves better”.

Mr Cottrell is under increased pressure after new revelations that David Tudor was twice reappointed under him while he was serving as bishop of Chelmsford.

Tudor was suspended from ministry for five years in 1988 having admitted, according to a tribunal document, having sex with a 16-year-old girl he met when she was a pupil at a school where he was chaplain.

He returned in 1994 until more abuse claims were made against him in 2019.

Tudor was banned from ministry for life this year after admitting what the Church of England described as serious sexual abuse involving two girls aged 15 and 16.

Mr Cottrell, who will become the Church’s most senior figure when Justin Welby steps down as Archbishop of Canterbury in January following criticism of his own handling of an abuse case, said he was “deeply sorry” that action was not taken earlier.

However, a victim of Tudor told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday: “It is quite clear that he knew a great deal and I find it really insulting and upsetting that he has just said ‘oh, well, I feel regret’, and I feel that he is backtracking considerably.

“I would have had more respect for him if he just said after that BBC report last week ‘look, I’m really sorry, I’m really sorry I got this wrong’ and I don’t believe he did enough.”

The woman said her grandmother “lost her faith” because of what happened and “never stepped foot inside a church again”.

She went on: “It is a real shame that he hasn’t responded to events with that same sense of urgency, showing love and compassion and an internal sense of right and wrong.

“Where is his moral compass? I really worry that someone who doesn’t have that is waiting in the wings to step in as the figurehead for the Church of England, and I think the Church deserves better.”

Asked if Mr Cottrell should step down, she added: “I think he really must now, it’s got beyond apologies and sadly I wouldn’t have said that a week ago, but I’m saying that now.”

The Archbishop said it was “not possible” to remove Tudor from office until fresh complaints were made against him in 2019.

Mr Cottrell said he faced a “horrible and intolerable” situation when he became bishop of Chelmsford, having been briefed on the situation in 2010.

However, Tudor’s contract as area dean in Essex was renewed in both 2013 and 2018, according to a fresh BBC investigation.

A spokeswoman for Mr Cottrell said he “acknowledges this could have been handled differently” but insisted all the risks were “regularly reviewed”.

Mr Cottrell is due to take on many of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s official functions temporarily from January 6, when Mr Welby quits over failures in the handling of a separate sex abuse case in the Church.

Mr Welby announced last month he would resign, after initially declining to do so, in the wake of the Makin report which concluded John Smyth – the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church – might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported him to police in 2013.

Published: 23/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub