Incoming Archbishop Faces Scrutiny Over Clergy Abuse Case Allegations
The forthcoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, is under scrutiny following allegations that she misled the public regarding a clergy abuse case. Survivor N, the complainant, asserts that Mullally’s declaration of the issue being “fully dealt with” conflicts with the ongoing investigation.
The Bishop of Fulham has initiated a formal inquiry into the priest involved in the clergy abuse accusations, contrary to Mullally’s previous statements of resolution, as reported by The Telegraph.
This complaint, initially lodged in 2020 under the Church of England’s Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM), is gaining renewed attention. Recently, the Church of England’s tribunal president directed diocesan lawyer Stuart Jones to revisit the case, following Bishop Jonathan Baker’s decision to review it after N’s public revelations.
In correspondence to N, Jones confirmed his instructions to re-evaluate the 2020 complaint, contradicting Mullally’s earlier statements about the case’s conclusion. The complainant alleges that the investigation was never finalized and accuses church authorities of attempting to disguise the reopening as a fresh case rather than acknowledging the unresolved nature of the original complaint.
Originally, Mullally claimed that the initial allegations of sexual misconduct against a priest were thoroughly investigated and resolved. However, N disputes this, describing the handling as a cover-up. The allegations include inappropriate physical and verbal conduct by the priest.
N further alleges protocol breaches when Mullally, then Bishop of London, forwarded his confidential email to the priest involved. He also filed a separate CDM complaint against Mullally, which the Church did not formally address. Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, concluded no misconduct by Mullally, and no further action ensued, according to Christian Today.
In a public statement, Mullally acknowledged the Church of England’s procedural failures in handling N’s case. She affirmed the original allegations were addressed by the Diocese of London, but admitted mismanagement of the complaint against her.
N criticized the current investigation process, calling it a “stitch-up” and questioned the involvement of Bishop Baker, a suffragan bishop under Mullally’s oversight, as case overseer. He further condemned the involvement of Jones, who he claims mishandled the original investigation.
Expressing disbelief, N referred to the ongoing situation as “Mullallygate” and questioned the validity of Mullally’s upcoming confirmation as archbishop.
Campaigner Andrew Graystone emphasized the importance of the Church of England restoring public trust and questioned the reinvestigation of a supposedly resolved case, criticizing the internal processes of the denomination.
The Diocese of London stated the priest underwent investigation in 2014 and 2015 with no safeguarding issues identified. A restraining order against N, issued in 2017 for contact with the priest, is still active.
A diocesan spokesperson confirmed N’s CDM complaint submission in April 2020, which is now under legal proceedings before the president of Tribunals. Following N’s public comments in December 2025, the president ordered new directions for the case.
Despite Jones’s prior recommendation to dismiss the case, the investigation continues under Bishop Baker’s oversight.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
