Seven clergy could be banned from ministry over CofE sex abuse scandal

Independent

6 days ago

Seven Church of England clergy, including a bishop, face disciplinary action after the damning abuse report which prompted Justin Welby 's resignation.
Paul Butler, the retired former Bishop of Durham, is among those who could be banned from ministry as a result of investigations following the Makin review.
However, former archbishop of Canterbury George Carey will not face any action.
The report, published in 2024, concluded that various people within the Church knew about abuse carried out for decades by John Smyth, a Christian camp leader – but did not act.
The review led to the eventual resignation of Mr Welby as the most recent Archbishop of Canterbury.
However, the Church's national safeguarding team (NST) undertook to look at all clergy criticised within the report.
In an update on Thursday, the Church said Bishop Paul and six others are to face disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM).
CDM outcomes can range from a conditional discharge where no penalty is imposed, to removal from office, resignation by consent and a lifetime ban from ministry.
While a new process, replacing the CDM, was approved by the Church's parliament earlier in June to include defrocking, it is not thought this will be in place in time for these cases.
Lord Carey, who was named in the Makin report, was one of 10 clergy revealed in February as facing possible action.
But the NST has confirmed 89-year-old Lord Carey, Reverend Paul Perkin and Reverend Hugh Palmer will face no further action.
As there is a 12-month time limit on cases being brought, the NST had to ask for permission of the President of the Tribunals to bring a CDM 'out of time'.
Permission was granted in only seven of the 10 cases and the NST said it 'entirely respects' the decision from the 'independent judicial process'.
Others named as facing CDMs include Reverend Sue Colman, the wife of the Colman's mustard heir Sir Jamie Colman.
The Makin report concluded that Mrs Colman, associate minister at St Leonard's Church in Hampshire's Oakley, was aware of Smyth's abuse before being ordained.
It noted that she and her husband visited Smyth in Africa in the 1990s and funded the Smyths through a personal trust.
Around a week after the Makin report was published, the Diocese of Winchester said Mrs Colman had been asked to 'step back from all ministerial duties'.
The rest of the clergy facing possible disciplinary action are Reverend Roger Combes, Reverend Andrew Cornes, Reverend Tim Hastie-Smith, Reverend Nick Stott and Reverend John Woolmer.
The NST said it will make no further comment on the cases while CDM proceedings are under way and no timeline has been given for when they might conclude.