The bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, has been asked to resign by senior members of his diocese following allegations of sexual misconduct. Perumbalath’s leadership team stated that he should stand down from all ministry while an investigation is conducted into claims made by a female bishop of sexual assault, along with a separate accusation of sexual harassment. The call for his resignation is putting immense pressure on Perumbalath to leave his position.
These allegations have arisen only three months after the Church of England faced another abuse scandal where Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, was forced to resign. A statement released by six senior clergy stated that the position of Perumbalath was currently untenable. They suggested that the allegations made by the female bishop should be fully investigated and that Perumbalath’s removal from the diocese of Liverpool was paramount during this time.
The Channel 4 News released a report in the UK on Wednesday, revealing that a female bishop and a woman have come forward with allegations about Perambalath. The female bishop accused him of sexual harassment, while the other woman said that Perumbalath groped and kissed her without her consent. Both instances took place in Essex in the year 2023.
The Church of England commented that a formal complaint of alleged misconduct leveled against the bishop in 2023 was indefensible. The National SafeGuarding Team (NST) ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence to bring a complaint under Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM). Police also failed to proceed further after an investigation. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has had calls to step down amid allegations that a priest at the center of a sexual abuse case was twice reappointed under him during his time as Bishop of Chelmsford.
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