Sarah Mullally reiterates apology as safeguarding record comes under the highlight

The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has come under pressure over her handling of past safeguarding cases. 

Some of those cases have been scrutinised this week by Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, particularly that of Father Alan Griffin, a rector within the City of London who took his own life in 2020 after being falsely accused of kid abuse. Senior Coroner Mary Hassell later ruled that there was no evidence to support the claims and that Fr Griffin had “killed himself because he couldn’t address an investigation into his conduct, the detail of and the source for which he had never been told”.

Channel 4 News said his name was included in a dossier – often known as The Two Cities Report – “compiled in secret” by a former head of operations within the London Diocese, and that the data within the document was a mixture of criminal convictions, serious safeguarding concerns, and “tittle tattle”. The head of operations left his post soon after Mullally became Bishop of London.

Fr Griffin’s close friend Nicholas Sabine told Channel 4 News that “the lies that were spread inside the Church about [Fr Griffin] would have been devastating to him”, and that Griffin had been “crushed” by the “institution” of the Church of England. 

“Large institutions put the institution first,” he told Newman. 

Mullally reportedly claimed in a secretly recorded meeting with one other priest concerned about his name being within the dossier that she had received the document but never read it because she was aware that a few of the contents were gossip. The Diocese of London has since told Channel 4 News that she didn’t read the report “because its contents needed to be properly assessed by safeguarding professionals and the Diocesan Registrar. She confirms she was informed which members of the clergy had been named in order that she could write to them and meet with them in the event that they wished”.

Some clergy don’t consider that she didn’t read the report, but one other London priest, the Rev Robert Thompson, told Channel 4 News that either way can be a failing. 

“The issue is did she read the report? If she didn’t read the report, that shows that she was not taking her responsibility as a bishop properly,” he said. 

“If she did read the report and did nothing about all of it, that also shows that she has done nothing in relation to her proper responsibility as a bishop in regards to the report.” 

The coroner’s report pointed to “systemic and individual failings”, and on the time Mullally apologised and ordered an independent review into the London Diocese’s handling of safeguarding complaints. 

The latest reports have led to calls for her appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury to be halted. Mullally is first woman to be elected Archbishop of Canterbury. A proper election ceremony is attributable to happen at St Paul’s Cathedral on 28 January 2026, followed by her formal installation at Canterbury Cathedral in March.

In light of Channel 4 News’ reporting this week, Mullally apologised again. 

In a press release she said, “In 2022, following the publication of the independent report into Fr Alan Griffin’s death, I apologised unreservedly to his family and friends. I repeat that apology today.

“Ever since I became Bishop of London in 2018, and before, I even have spoken publicly in regards to the clear need for independent scrutiny of safeguarding across the Church of England. That is why I commissioned the Robson Report into Fr Alan’s death, to look at exactly what went mistaken within the tragic run-up to November 2020. The public recommendations from the independent report in 2022 have been vital ever since in driving forward change across the Diocese of London. That change has been embedded within the Diocesan Safeguarding Team today, as has the necessity for continuous safeguarding improvement and culture change.

“Nevertheless, I understand why now, as I prepare to develop into Archbishop of Canterbury, there might be renewed scrutiny of past cases, and particularly my role. As I said when announced as the following Archbishop on the third October 2025, we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, no matter our role within the Church.

“I proceed to be determined to enhance safeguarding across the Church of England. In this Diocese, as a part of an ongoing programme across all dioceses, we’ve got recently undergone an independent safeguarding audit by INEQE. We will wish to use its findings and proposals, which might be made public, to construct on the progress made so far.”

The Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, Joanne Grenfell, stood by Mullally. She is confident that changes have been made within the Diocese of London.

“As Bishop of Stepney, I worked alongside Bishop Sarah within the Diocese of London from 2019 to 2025. During that point, I witnessed her commitment to good safeguarding, to making sure proper safeguarding systems and processes, and to shaping a healthier culture across the diocese,” she said. 

“Notable changes included increasing resourcing for the diocesan safeguarding team and making a multi-background, expert team with excellent oversight of casework and decision making. Governance was also strengthened, with regular oversight and scrutiny from an independently chaired Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel and from the Bishop’s Council.

“The diocese is a big and complicated organization, and Bishop Sarah clearly inherited a culture where, in places, light had not been shone on unacceptable behaviour. She was utterly committed and principled in setting about changing that culture and ensuring that any concerns were addressed with rigour.

“In her response to recent news reports, I proceed to see Bishop Sarah’s commitment to honesty and transparency in safeguarding, a commitment which I’m glad she can even bring to the role of Archbishop of Canterbury.”