THE Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, has denied allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
The allegations, broadcast on Channel Four News on Tuesday evening, concern a a lady within the diocese of Chelmsford who has accused him of sexual assault and a female bishop who has accused him of sexual harassment.
Channel Four quoted intimately a written account from the primary complainant, in Chelmsford diocese. She said that, at a diocesan away day in 2019, Dr Perumbalath “kissed me forcefully on my mouth, which I didn’t like and I didn’t want. I attempted to maneuver away, but he was holding my head too tightly.”
She alleged that, in 2022, at the top of a gathering: “As he was letting go of hugging me, he ran his hands past the side of my breasts on each side, with a medium pressure, until he reached the sting of the areola.”
She alleged that, in January 2023: “He pressed his face against my face, said ‘I like you’ quietly in my ear, and moved his mouth to just under my ear, on the heart beat point on my neck. He opened his mouth, took a chunk of my skin between his lips, and let go.”
It was after this last alleged incident that she reported the matter to a priest within the diocese who informed the Archdeacon, Channel 4 News reported.
Few details were reported concerning the female bishop’s allegations. Channel Four News reported that she had informed senior clergy and the Archbishop of York in 2023 — the 12 months wherein Dr Perumabath was enthroned. She made a grievance under the Clergy Discipline Measure last 12 months, however the Deputy President of Tribunals denied her permission to bring a grievance after the 12-month limitation period. Under the Clergy Conduct Measure, expected to receive final approval on the General Synod next month, the limitation period wouldn’t apply to complaints of significant misconduct.
Dr Perumbalath was appointed Area Bishop of Bradwell in 2018. He was named as the subsequent Bishop of Liverpool in October 2022, three months before the girl in Chelmsford first reported her concerns to a priest within the diocese. His confirmation of election took place in January 2023. He was installed in April 2023, after the National Safeguarding Team (NST) and Archbishop Cottrell had been made aware of the allegations. By this point, the NST risk assessment had concluded that there have been no ongoing safeguarding concerns. The national safeguarding codes make it clear that safeguarding processes are designed to evaluate and manage risk, reasonably than determine guilt.
As Bishop of Chelmsford, Archbishop Cottrell had appointed Dr Perumbalath to his suffragan post. Channel Four News reported claims that, throughout the appointment process for the See of Liverpool, Dr Perumbalath had “didn’t show his competence in safeguarding” and had been unable to secure the bulk needed. It was alleged that Archbishop Cottrell — a member of the Crown Nominations Commission — and one other bishop had “put pressure on committee members to overturn that vote”. This is disputed by Church House.
Last March, Dr Perumbalath was interviewed voluntarily under caution by the police, but no further motion was taken. He is a member of the Clergy Discipline Commission.
On Tuesday, Dr Perumbalath said: “The allegations set out on this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present. I even have consistently denied the allegations made against me by each complainants. I even have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further motion.
“Whilst I don’t imagine I even have done anything flawed, I even have taken seriously the teachings learnt through this process addressing how my actions will be perceived by others. I’ll comply with any investigation deemed needed. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to supply proper leadership on this area”.
A Church House statement said that a grievance of alleged misconduct against Dr Perumbalath had been dropped at the NST in early 2023. “This grievance was made after Bishop John Perumbalath had formally and legally grow to be Bishop of Liverpool. The grievance was looked into based on statutory safeguarding guidance in an NST-led process and an independent risk assessment undertaken. This process concluded that there have been no ongoing safeguarding concerns, but a learning final result was identified with which the bishop fully engaged. . .
“The NST concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to bring a safeguarding-related grievance under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) itself but offered the girl support if she wished to achieve this. The NST continues to have contact, at her request, with the girl who got here forward and the offer of ongoing support stays.”
The statement said that, “a while subsequently”, the lead bishop for safeguarding, the Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, also “offered advice and support to the girl if she wished to bring a CDM grievance. That offer also stays.”
The statement continued: “Shortly after the beginning of this process an additional disclosure was made by one other woman. The information brought by the second complainant was explored and assessed to not be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing.
“The second complainant didn’t bring a CDM grievance throughout the one-year deadline. She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York fully supported. However, this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals. Archbishop Stephen has supported the complainant pastorally throughout the method and continues to supply practical help. He had no part in the choice making around safeguarding or disciplinary matters.”
The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, told Channel Four News: “We live in a world where we’ve got proper processes, and we don’t just sack someone when there may be an allegation.” She said that Archbishop Cottrell had instructed a barrister to have a look at the choices that had been made and actions taken “with the intention to see if anything has been missed and likewise to suggest further possible ways forward”. The Church shouldn’t behave “like a lynch mob”, she said.
