Senior Bishop resigns over Sexual Assault & Groping Claims

Bishop of Liverpool John Perumbalath resigned after allegations of sexual assault and harassment were made against him.

Senior Bishop resigns over Sexual Assault & Groping Claims f

"A bishop cannot be above the law."

A senior Church of England bishop has resigned after allegations of sexual misconduct, deepening the church’s ongoing crisis.

John Perumbalath, bishop of Liverpool, stepped down after pressure from his leadership team.

One woman accused him of kissing her without consent and groping her in Chelmsford in Essex, where he was the clergyman was Bishop of Bradwell, on separate occasions between 2019 and 2023.

A female bishop also alleged he sexually harassed her.

Joanne Grenfell, the C of E’s lead bishop on safeguarding, also urged him to step aside for an investigation.

Beverley Mason, bishop of Warrington, later confirmed she had accused Perumbalath of sexual harassment in March 2023.

In a letter to the Liverpool diocese, she wrote: “Throughout these past 510 days I have remained consistent and persistent in my pursuit of proper and appropriate ecclesiastical judicial process.

“A bishop cannot be above the law. A bishop cannot be dealt with differently from a priest. If anything, a bishop must be held to greater scrutiny.

“I regret we as a church have not properly and satisfactorily addressed concerns that have been raised.”

Mason, absent from her post since April 2024, described her time away as “long and terrible” and apologised for her silence.

Perumbalath announced his immediate retirement at the age of 58. The church’s retirement age for bishops is 70.

He said: “Having sought the permission of his majesty the King, I have today taken the decision to retire from active ministry in the Church of England.

“I have consistently maintained that I have not done anything wrong and continue to do so.”

He said the allegations had been investigated by the C of E’s national safeguarding team and found unsubstantiated. One was also investigated by police, who took no further action.

The bishop continued: “Despite this, media reports have treated me as guilty on all charges and treated these allegations as fact.

“The rush to judgment and my trial by media (be that social or broadcast) has made my position untenable due to the impact it will have on the diocese of Liverpool and the wider church whilst we await further reviews and next steps.”

Insisting his resignation was not an admission of guilt, he added:

“Rather, it has become clear that stepping back from my ministry and waiting for the completion of further reviews would mean a long period of uncertainty for the diocese and all those who serve it.”

Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York and the church’s de facto leader, has faced calls to resign over his handling of a separate abuse case.

It was reported that Cottrell knew of the allegations against Perumbalath before his 2023 appointment as bishop of Liverpool.

Some church figures on social media claimed Cottrell had long known the allegations would become public.

Tim Howles, an Oxford priest and researcher, posted: “He knew last year that the story about the bishop of Liverpool would definitely come out. He knew for sure.

“And he still presented himself as the one through whom reform for the Church of England could come about.”

Jayne Ozanne, a former General Synod member, claimed Cottrell covered up the allegations.

She tweeted: “I cannot believe Stephen thought it would just ‘go away’.

“He needs to explain what he knew, said and did.”

A senior church member said Cottrell should resign but would likely try to “dig in”.

Meanwhile, Cottrell said: “I respect [Perumbalath’s] decision and thank him for his ministry… I am committed to ensuring stability during this time of transition.”

The General Synod meets in March 2025 to discuss restoring trust in the C of E. The session is expected to focus on abuse, safeguarding and the church’s failures to act swiftly.

Helen-Ann Hartley, bishop of Newcastle and a leading critic of safeguarding failures, said she was “shocked and appalled” by the allegations against Perumbalath.

She said: “Yet again, failures at the heart of the institution of the Church of England, and specifically by its leadership, undermine credibility and confidence in the church.”

Lead Editor Dhiren is our news and content editor who loves all things football. He also has a passion for gaming and watching films. His motto is to "Live life one day at a time".




  • Play DESIblitz Games
  • What's New

    MORE

    "Quoted"

  • Polls

    Do you think university degrees are still important?

    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...
  • Share to...