A tribunal for the Diocese of Southwark has upheld a new complaint against former vicar David Tudor. The complaint relates to the serious sexual abuse of a 15-year-old during the time Tudor was a priest in the Diocese of Southwark in the 1980s.
Tudor was prohibited from ministry for life in October 2024 after a different Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Southwark upheld complaints from two other women, following his full admission of guilt to serious sexual abuse. That admission related to the time Tudor was a priest in the Diocese of Southwark and included serious sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old.
Tudor served as Rector of Canvey Island in the Diocese of Chelmsford at the time of his prohibition from ministry in 2024. He had been a priest in the Diocese of Chelmsford since 1997 and had been suspended from ministry since 2019.
In response to the judgment, the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Rev Christopher Chessun said: “The behaviours that have been considered by this tribunal hearing – and others earlier admitted by David Tudor – demonstrate a serious and damaging breach of his pastoral and professional obligations and were wholly incompatible with his status as a priest.
“It is very clear to us now that the practice and procedures in place in the Church in the 1980s and 1990s were neither sufficiently robust nor survivor-focussed – and that decisions were taken that left open the possibility of further harm being caused by David Tudor. We deeply regret this and we give thanks that things have changed dramatically, both in our Church and in wider society. I am enormously grateful, too, for those who have had the courage to share their experiences and engage with this long and difficult process.
“Through a Safeguarding Practice Review of this case, we are committed to working with independent advisers and our colleagues in Chelmsford and the National Safeguarding Team to learn from this and ensure that we improve our responses to victims and survivors of abuse.”
Bishop Christopher has offered to meet the survivor affected by this tribunal and any survivor affected by David Tudor’s behaviour.
A Safeguarding Practice Review (SPR) has been jointly commissioned by the National Safeguarding Team and the Dioceses of Chelmsford and Southwark to look at the lessons to be learnt from the Church’s handling of the case.