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The Bishop of Warrington, Bev Mason, has come forward as one of the women who accused the Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, of sexual misconduct. Following allegations outlined in a Channel 4 News programme, Bishop Perumbalath announced his resignation. One woman accused him of kissing and groping her without consent, while another was subject to sexual harassment by him. Bishop Mason confirmed herself as the latter complainant but withdrew from media activity since the allegations were made public.
Bishop Mason has accused the Church of England of failing to address concerns about Bishop Perumbalath “properly and satisfactorily”. She has sought proper ecclesiastical judicial process, stating in a letter to the diocese that her concerns centred around due process. In addition, she has expressed hope that there will be an “honest scrutiny of what we are doing, how we are doing it, where the gaps sit and how we address them”, calling for a focus on the way that the Church conducts complaint processes.
Even after the Channel 4 News programme and subsequent allegations made against him, Essex Police and the Church of England were found to have no case to answer with regards to one of the allegations. Nonetheless, church leaders called for Bishop Perumbalath to stand down while investigations were underway. Julie Conalty, the Bishop of Birkenhead and deputy lead bishop for safeguarding, agreed with the decision while also noting that the bishop had not yet defended himself in tribunal, discussing whether church processes are suited to serving both complainants and those who are accused.
Amid calls for Bishop Perumbalath’s resignation, many are also emphasizing the importance of a transparent, justice-oriented approach to the investigation. Whether church proceedings are serving both victims/survivors and those who stand accused, and whether such processes are trauma-informed, are key aspects of the conversations being had. Bishop Mason’s letter, in which she calls upon the diocese to recognise the need for transparency and thorough investigations, is a strong indication of this
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