London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 29, 2026

Church of England abuse cases run to hundreds - report

Church of England abuse cases run to hundreds - report

The Church of England has found hundreds of new cases involving allegations of abuse of vulnerable adults and children by clergy, Church officers and volunteers.

The reviewers found 383 cases relating to abuse, that the Church says require further attention.

The Church says this is its most extensive review of past abuse cases.

The archbishops of Canterbury and York apologised and expressed "profound shame" at the findings.

The new report came about after criticism of the previous Past Cases Review, published in 2010, which said the Church had found only 13 new cases requiring further action.

The updated version, published on Wednesday, is highly critical of a culture within the Church that is portrayed as still not adequately dealing with abuse.

"The Church is still at risk of failing others in the future unless there are further significant changes of culture and attitude as well as adherence to more detailed and effective safeguarding practices," it says.

Of the 383 new cases, 168 relate to children and 149 to vulnerable adults.

The rest either involve both or have insufficient data.


'Feel betrayed'


Louise, not her real name, who says she was abused as a child by a clergyman, told BBC News she had asked to participate in the review but been ignored.

"I feel betrayed and angry because the report states survivors have been included when I haven't," she said.

"I was told my case was in the 'cause for concern' category - but I can't see anything about how those cases will be followed up, including mine.

"I don't even know whether I'm in the 383.

"Survivors were told we would be warned when the report comes out but we heard nothing."


Damning parts


The alleged perpetrators, who are still alive, include 242 clergy, 53 Church officers and 41 volunteers whose role included engagement with children.

Many no longer hold positions in the Church - but in some cases, their identity was not recorded.

The cases range from errors in information sharing to those that should have been referred to the police.

But the report does not include details of the seriousness of the abuse.

Some of the most damning parts detail issues surrounding the culture within the Church of England relating to abuse.

The reviewers mention victim-blaming, deference to those in power, inertia and inaction in dealing with allegations of abuse.


Existing processes


The Church accepts much more needs to be done to instil confidence it has processes in place to adequately protect the vulnerable and deal with perpetrators.

And the report lists 26 recommendations, including establishing a charter to ensure the voices of children are heard.

But they do not include any major overhaul of existing processes that are meant to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse but have often failed to do so.

Two years ago, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse detailed how the Church had failed to protect children from sexual abuse and created a culture where abusers "could hide".

In a joint statement, the archbishops of Canterbury and York said the findings illustrated the failings of the Church's leadership.

"There are no possible excuses, no rationalisations for our Church's failure to share the love of God and value each and every person," a joint statement from the Most Reverend Justin Welby and the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell said.

"We sincerely apologise for our failures and want to reach out to those who are still suffering from the pain and misery they endured.

"We extend this apology to wider family members affected from this past abuse.

"We are so sorry that this ever happened. It was not your fault and you are not to blame."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×