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Bishop of Liverpool resigned after sexual assault and claims for harassment – Irvine Times

Bishop of Liverpool resigned after sexual assault and claims for harassment – Irvine Times

The right Reverend Dr. John Perumbalat said he had decided to retire without recognition of guilt or responsibility, but to avoid the issue of being “distraction”.

This comes after Channel 4 News announced earlier this week that a woman had accused the bishop of kissing her without consent and smearing her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment.

Bishop Perumalat said: “I do not want this story to become a distraction of this incredible diocese and its people, to whom it was honored and joy to serve.

“This is not a resignation caused by guilt or some recognition of responsibility.

“It became more clear that the retreat from my ministry and I was waiting for the completion of more examinations would mean a long period of uncertainty for the diocese and all who serve it.”

He is coming to a tumultuous moment for the English Church because of various protective failures, which has already seen Justin Welbi refuse as Archbishop of Canterbury because of the processing of a single case.

Bishop Perumalat – who claims that there was a “test of the media (being this social or broadcast)”, which made his position insolvent – said his resignation from active ministry was “with direct effect”.

York Archbishop Stephen Cotrell – who has been confronted with his own calls to resign over individual alleged protective failures – said he complied with the decision.

He said: “I admit the decision made by RT Revd D John Perumbalat to resign from active ministry in the English Church. I respect his decision and thank him for his ministry.

“My thoughts and prayers continue to be with all who have been affected by this situation.

“During this time of the transition, I am committed to providing stability and will put the necessary arrangements to ensure the Episcopal Supervision for the Diocese.

“The Diocese of Diocese in Liverpool will be announced in the coming days.”

A spokesman for the English Church said earlier in 2023 a complaint of suspected misconduct against the bishop was filed in the National Protection Team (NST).

Archbishop of York Stephen Cotrell
York Archbishop Stephen Cotrell said he respected the Bishop’s decision to withdraw (Jonathan Brady/Pa)

It is concluded that there is insufficient evidence to bring a complaint related to the defense, according to the measure of discipline of the clergy (CDM), but the woman was offered support if she wanted to do so.

The church also said the complaint was investigated by police, which led to no further action.

The further disclosure was made by another woman and the information was “studied and evaluated that it was not a protected issue but a matter of a supposed violation,” the spokesman said.

The second complainant did not file a CDM complaint within the one -year period.

Subsequently, she applied for a permission to bring it after the deadline that the Archbishop of York supports, but this was denied by an independent judge, the Vice -President of the Tribunals, they added.

Members of the senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool, who had written at G -Nn Cotrell, calling on Bishop Perumbalat to go, said it was a “deeply painful situation”.

Liverpool Archdeacon Miranda Trolfal-Holmes said that “really, really,” feels for everyone involved in the accusations, including Bishop Perumalat himself.

She told the BBC Radio 4 world in a program that members of the clergy and congregations covered by the diocese believe that “if the accusations like them are made against them or any member of their family in their normal course of work, they immediately They will be retreated until an investigation has been conducted. “

She added: “We agree with them, we do not think there should be a different process. We hoped that he would give up as a neutral act to enable everyone to have confidence that a proper investigation happened. “

She said the leadership of the Church of England is ready to deal with the allegations, despite a series of recent scandals.

Dr. Threlfall-Holmes said: “We are in the place when we know that there is a significant job that needs to be done in our processes, and this work is done.

“There has been a huge change in protection and within the policies, as well as the ways in which things have been processed over the last few years and things are really better.”

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