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Bishop of Liverpool denies allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault

28 January 2025

Diocese of Liverpool

The Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, in a video when he was announced as Bishop of Liverpool

THE Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, has denied allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The allegations, broadcast on Channel 4 News on Tuesday evening, concern a woman in the diocese of Chelmsford who has accused him of sexual assault and a female bishop who has accused him of sexual harassment.

In a pastoral letter to the clergy and people of the diocese, Liverpool’s dean, archdeacons, and chairs of the houses of laity and clergy said that the allegation of misconduct should be “fully investigated . . . in the interests of justice”.

Channel 4 quoted in detail a written account from the first complainant, in Chelmsford diocese. She said that, at a diocesan away day in 2019, Dr Perumbalath “kissed me forcefully on my mouth, which I did not like and I did not want. I tried to move away, but he was holding my head too tightly.”

She alleged that, in 2022, at the end of a meeting: “As he was letting go of hugging me, he ran his hands past the side of my breasts on both sides, with a medium pressure, until he reached the edge of the areola.”

She alleged that, in January 2023: “He pressed his face against my face, said ‘I love you’ quietly in my ear, and moved his mouth to just below my ear, on the pulse point on my neck. He opened his mouth, took a piece of my skin between his lips, and let go.”

It was after this last alleged incident that she reported the matter to a priest in the diocese who informed the Archdeacon, Channel 4 News reported.

Few details were reported about the female bishop’s allegations. Channel 4 News reported that she had informed senior clergy and the Archbishop of York in 2023 — the year in which Dr Perumabath was enthroned. She made a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure last year, but the Deputy President of Tribunals denied her permission to bring a complaint after the 12-month limitation period. Under the Clergy Conduct Measure, expected to receive final approval at the General Synod next month, the limitation period would not apply to complaints of serious misconduct.

Dr Perumbalath was appointed Area Bishop of Bradwell in 2018. He was named as the next Bishop of Liverpool in October 2022, three months before the woman in Chelmsford first reported her concerns to a priest in the diocese. His confirmation of election took place in January 2023. He was installed in April 2023, after the National Safeguarding Team (NST) and Archbishop Cottrell had been made aware of the allegations. By this point, the NST risk assessment had concluded that there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns. The national safeguarding codes make it clear that safeguarding processes are designed to assess and manage risk, rather than determine guilt.

As Bishop of Chelmsford, Archbishop Cottrell had appointed Dr Perumbalath to his suffragan post. Channel 4 News reported claims that, during the appointment process for the See of Liverpool, Dr Perumbalath had “failed to demonstrate his competence in safeguarding” and had been unable to secure the majority needed. It was alleged that Archbishop Cottrell — a member of the Crown Nominations Commission — and another bishop had “put pressure on committee members to overturn that vote”. This is disputed by Church House.

Last March, Dr Perumbalath was interviewed voluntarily under caution by the police, but no further action was taken. He is a member of the Clergy Discipline Commission.

On Tuesday, Dr Perumbalath said: “The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present. I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants. I have complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team. The allegations raised in Essex were also investigated by the police who took no further action.

“Whilst I don’t believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others. I will comply with any investigation deemed necessary. I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area”.

A Church House statement said that a complaint of alleged misconduct against Dr Perumbalath had been brought to the NST in early 2023. “This complaint was made after Bishop John Perumbalath had formally and legally become Bishop of Liverpool. The complaint was looked into according to statutory safeguarding guidance in an NST-led process and an independent risk assessment undertaken. This process concluded that there were no ongoing safeguarding concerns, but a learning outcome was identified with which the bishop fully engaged. . .

“The NST concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to bring a safeguarding-related complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) itself but offered the woman support if she wished to do so. The NST continues to have contact, at her request, with the woman who came forward and the offer of ongoing support remains.”

The statement said that, “some time subsequently”, the lead bishop for safeguarding, the Bishop of Stepney, Dr Joanne Grenfell, also “offered advice and support to the woman if she wished to bring a CDM complaint. That offer also remains.”

The statement continued: “Shortly after the start of this process a further disclosure was made by another woman. The information brought by the second complainant was explored and assessed not to be a safeguarding matter but a matter of alleged misconduct. Pastoral support has been provided throughout for the second complainant and is ongoing.

“The second complainant did not bring a CDM complaint within the one-year deadline. She later applied for permission to bring it after the deadline, which the Archbishop of York fully supported. However, this was refused by an independent judge, the Deputy President of Tribunals. Archbishop Stephen has supported the complainant pastorally throughout the process and continues to offer practical help. He had no part in the decision making around safeguarding or disciplinary matters.”

The pastoral letter to the clergy and people of Liverpool describes the signatories as being “shocked and saddened” by the allegations. It said: “We understand that some of allegations against the Bishop of Liverpool have been investigated and found unsubstantiated by the National Safeguarding Team. We are aware the police in Essex have taken no action with regard to one allegation. However, we understand that an allegation of misconduct was not fully investigated, and we believe that in the interests of justice this should now happen.”

The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, told Channel 4 News: “We live in a world where we have proper processes, and we don’t just sack someone when there is an allegation.” She said that Archbishop Cottrell had instructed a barrister to look at the decisions that had been made and actions taken “in order to see if anything has been missed and also to suggest further possible ways forward”. The Church should not behave “like a lynch mob”, she said.

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