Archbishop of York resists calls to resign over handling of abusive priest case

There have been calls for the Archbishop of York to resign over his handling of a historical sex abuse case when he was Bishop of Chelmsford. 

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell was accused in a BBC investigation of allowing David Tudor to stay in ministry for years despite knowing that he had been banned from being alone with children and had paid compensation to a sexual abuse victim. 

The woman who received compensation from Tudor told the BBC, “I feel like he [Stephen Cottrell] has spat in my face.” 

Tudor was only barred from ministry in October after he admitted historical sex abuse allegations regarding two girls within the Nineteen Eighties.

Critics accuse Archbishop Cottrell of failing to act soon enough and are urging him to step down. The calls come just weeks before he’s because of take interim charge of the Church of England following the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury over safeguarding failures. 

The Bishop of Newcastle, Rt Rev Helen-Ann Hartley, is amongst those calling on Cottrell to resign. 

“It completely undermines his credibility that this case was not acted on,” she told BBC File on 4 Investigates. “How can you’ve got the ethical and moral authority to steer an establishment with that?”

Rev Martine Oborne, Chair of Women and the Church, told Sky News that Cottrell “could’ve done more, sooner”.

A petition calling on the Archbishop to resign has been signed over 1,600 times.

Cottrell is refusing to step down, claiming his hands were tied. 

He said in a press release: “The situation I faced after I became Bishop of Chelmsford, was horrible and intolerable – most of all for the survivors and victims who had bravely come forward and shared their stories from the Nineteen Eighties.

“This morning’s news coverage incorrectly implies that no motion was taken until 2024. That shouldn’t be the case. In my capability as Bishop of Chelmsford, I suspended David Tudor from office at the primary opportunity, when a latest victim got here forward to the police in 2019. Up until 2019, there have been no legal grounds to take alternative motion.

“When I joined the Chelmsford diocese in 2010, I worked closely with its very skilled safeguarding team to make sure the danger was managed. But it was impossible to remove David Tudor from office until such time as fresh complaints were made, which happened when a victim bravely spoke to the police. Once this happened in 2019, I acted immediately. I suspended David Tudor from all ministry pending the investigation and subsequent tribunal hearing during which he was faraway from office and prohibited from ministry for all times.

“I’m deeply sorry that we weren’t capable of take motion earlier, but that was the situation I inherited. It is amazingly disappointing that this story is being reported as if it was an abuser being ignored and even protected. Actually, nothing may very well be farther from the reality. And to present it this manner only re-traumatises already hurt people.” 

His claims have been refuted by critics. Gavin Drake, a campaigner for survivors of abuse and former communications director for the Anglican Communion, has accused Cottrell of lying.

Drake said, “There were loads of legal grounds to take alternate motion.

“For a start, the Archbishop could have faraway from Tudor the office of Area Dean of Hadleigh. The position of Area Dean is the gift of the bishop and will be granted and removed at will. By retaining Tudor in that position, Stephen Cottrell was retaining the inherited position where Tudor was given additional responsibility and authority over other clergy.

“It was also open to Stephen Cottrell not to put in Tudor as an honorary canon of Chelmsford Cathedral in 2015. Tomorrow’s File on Four programme says that Cottrell’s office told them that “the brand new title for David Tudor wasn’t a promotion or personal reward but happened due to a change in policy, meaning Area Deans will mechanically made honorary canons.

“Did this modification in policy occur in a vacuum? Was Stephen Cottrell not consulted on it? Did no person review who the world deans were to see who can be made a canon under the brand new policy?

“FACT: Stephen Cottrell as bishop, and others within the diocese, approved this modification knowing that it will lead to Tudor being made an honorary canon.” 

The Church of England released a separate statement in response to the BBC investigation during which it said, “Safeguarding decisions and all appointments today are subject to very clear guidance issued by the House of Bishops, which was not in place on the Nineteen Nineties.

“It is currently being strengthened further. This involves a transparent process, each around safer recruitment and in assessing risk, even when no further motion is taken by statutory services, to make sure the Church is a protected place for all.

“The current Bishops of Chelmsford and Southwark have apologised for the hurt and harm brought on by his offences and an independent Safeguarding Practice Review will now happen to make sure lessons are learnt from this case.

“Support continues to be offered to the survivors and people affected by this case.”