THE former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey will not face disciplinary proceedings in connection with the abuse perpetrated by John Smyth — but the former Bishop of Durham the Rt Revd Paul Butler will, it was announced on Thursday morning.
The National Safeguarding Team (NST) had sought permission from the President of the Tribunals to bring complaints under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) against ten members of the clergy (News, 28 February) who had been named in the Makin review of Smyth’s abuse (News, 5 December 2024).
A statement from the NST said that it had received permission to bring complaints against seven of the ten: Bishop Butler; the Revd Roger Combes; the Revd Sue Colman; the Revd Andrew Cornes; the Revd Tim Hastie-Smith; the Revd Nick Stott; the Revd John Woolmer.
The President did not grant permission, however, to bring proceedings against Lord Carey; the Revd Paul Perkin; and the Revd Hugh Palmer.
No explanation is given for the decisions.
Lord Carey handed in his permission to officiate (PTO) in the diocese of Oxford in December, citing his advancing years and time in ministry (News, 20 December 2024). His PTO had previously been withdrawn during the compilation of the Makin review (News, 19 June 2020), which concluded that he had been given a report on Smyth’s abuse when he was Principal of Trinity College, Bristol, in 1983. He has denied this.
Bishop Butler, who retired to the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham last year, was asked to “step back” from ministry in November (News, 28 November 2024). From 2011 to 2017, he was president of the Scripture Union.
The NST’s statement concluded: “Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered. The National Safeguarding Team will make no further comment on these cases whilst the CDM proceedings are under way.”
