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Lord Carey - Copyright Adrian Sherrat / REX
UK News

Allowing former Archbishop of Canterbury back to ministry 'further distressed abuse victims'

by Press Association

Lord Carey, former archbishop of Canterbury, resigned as honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Oxford after a damning review last year found that senior Church of England officials colluded with Peter Ball, who abused young men.

Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England's lead safeguarding bishop, said he was not consulted on the decision to grant Lord Carey Permission to Officiate (PTO) - allowing him to preach and give communion in his ownchurch - earlier this year, and would have advised against it.

 

He told BBC Radio 4 programme Sunday: "My understanding is the national safeguarding team were not consulted, I'm sure that's right.

"I think both I and the national safeguarding team would have advised that that was not the right action to take."

PA Wire
Dr George Carey (left), the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England's lead safeguarding bishop.

He added: "I regret it (the decision to grant the PTO) not because I want to intervene in matters that relate to another diocese, but just because what I hear from those I speak to, which are the victims, the survivors, those who are particularly troubled by thechurch's actions, that see this, perceive this and believe this to be something which has caused them more distress and it's for that reason particularly."

Ball, who was the subject of a five-day case study last week by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), was jailed in 2015 for sexually abusing 18 young men over three decades.

Lord Carey told the IICSA the church had failed Ball's victims, saying that during his tenure the "cumbersome" institution was sometimes "behind the curve" when it came to addressing allegations of abuse.

On Friday, Bishop of Oxford Dr Steven Croft, who granted the PTO, said he will be reviewing the decision with Lord Carey in light of the inquiry's latest hearings.

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