A Church of England priest, David Tudor, at the heart of a sexual abuse case, was reappointed to a senior position twice during the time Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell served as Bishop of Chelmsford, BBC investigations have revealed.
Previously, the BBC uncovered that Tudor remained in his role for nine years after concerns were first raised about him in 2010.
New information shows that Tudor’s contract as area dean in Essex was renewed in 2013 and 2018, despite Cottrell knowing about compensation paid to a woman who claimed Tudor abused her as a child.
Cottrell expressed regret over his handling of the case, with a spokesperson acknowledging that the situation could have been managed differently.
The spokesperson emphasized that the “risks around David Tudor were regularly reviewed” and remained the primary focus.
The pressure on Cottrell comes amid ongoing controversy in the Church of England, following a critical report on its cover-up of abuse by barrister John Smyth.
This led to the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, with Cottrell set to temporarily take over Welby’s role in the New Year.
Rachel Ford, one of Tudor’s victims who alleges she was groomed by him as a child, called the renewal of his contract an “insult to all his victims.”
Ford added that if Cottrell was responsible for the renewal, it further strengthened her belief that he should resign.
The BBC investigation revealed that Cottrell was briefed on Tudor’s history within his first week as Bishop of Chelmsford, including Tudor’s 1988 conviction for indecently assaulting three underage girls, which was later quashed on technical grounds.
By 2012, Cottrell was also aware of Tudor’s £10,000 settlement with a woman who claimed to have been sexually abused by him as an 11-year-old. In 2018, the Church of England issued an apology and compensation to another alleged victim.
Despite these issues, Tudor was not suspended until 2019, when a police investigation was launched following new allegations.
When the BBC first contacted Cottrell about the investigation, he expressed deep regret for the delay in taking action, asserting he had acted when legally able to do so and describing the situation as “horrible and intolerable.”
When Cottrell became Bishop in 2010, Tudor was in the second year of a five-year term as area dean, overseeing 12 parishes in Essex.
Tudor’s appointment occurred under a different bishop, despite working under a safeguarding agreement that prohibited him from being alone with children or entering schools.
Tudor’s contract was renewed under Cottrell in 2013 and 2018, and his title as area dean ended in 2020 when his term expired.
The Archbishop’s office accepted responsibility for Tudor remaining in his role as area dean but emphasized that no advice had been given to remove Tudor from the position at the time.
Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley expressed that Cottrell’s regret did not align with his actions.
“I don’t know how you can find a situation ‘horrible and intolerable’ and then reconcile that with what is reported here,” she said, questioning Cottrell’s credibility as a leader.
The Reverend Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly, criticized the Church’s credibility, stating that the institution was in “serious trouble” but leaders must remain focused on serving the community.
Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek voiced “shock and dismay” upon hearing of the latest revelations, calling for a thorough process to guide the Church going forward.
Another victim, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was “shocked and disappointed” by the renewal of Tudor’s role under Cottrell and called for his resignation.
In 2015, Tudor was made honorary canon of Chelmsford Cathedral under Cottrell.
The Archbishop’s office explained this occurred due to a policy change at the time, where area deans automatically became honorary canons.
However, a post from Tudor’s parish suggested it was seen as a reward for his work.
Internal Church meetings from 2018 and 2019 revealed that there had been discussions about removing Tudor’s titles.
Despite recommendations that Cottrell could have immediately revoked them, Tudor’s titles were not removed, with Church officials citing concerns about how to explain such a decision publicly.
The investigation also highlighted the role of former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, who had agreed to Tudor’s return to ministry after his 1989 suspension and had worked to remove Tudor from the list of clergy facing disciplinary action.
In response to the BBC’s findings, Lord Carey ended his permission to officiate, marking the end of more than 65 years of service within the Church of England.
In October 2024, Tudor admitted to sexual misconduct and was dismissed by the Church. Tudor has not responded to the BBC’s attempts for comment.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@NairobiNews.co.ke
