A church tribunal has cleared the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, of misconduct regarding his handling of a priest who committed historical sexual abuse against teenage girls. The tribunal president found that while mistakes were made, they did not meet the threshold for misconduct.
Details of the Case and Tribunal Findings
The case centred on David Tudor, a priest who was barred from ministry for life in 2024 after acknowledging sexual relationships with two teenage girls, aged 15 and 16, during the 1980s. Tudor had previously been suspended from ministry for five years in 1988 after admitting to having sex with a 16-year-old pupil at a school where he served as chaplain. He returned to church work in 1994.
Stephen Cottrell, who became the Church of England's second most senior cleric, faced criticism for his oversight of Tudor from 2010 onwards. A BBC investigation revealed that Cottrell, while serving as Bishop of Chelmsford, renewed Tudor's contract as area dean in Essex on two occasions. This occurred despite Cottrell's awareness of Tudor's past abuse, his ban from being alone with children, and a £10,000 compensation payment Tudor made to a sexual abuse victim.
Tribunal President's Conclusion
In findings published recently, the church-appointed president of tribunals, Stephen Males, concluded that some errors were made in handling Tudor's case. Males, a former Court of Appeal and High Court judge, stated that the appointments were "mistaken and regrettable" and should have been recognised as deeply painful for victims and survivors.
However, Males determined that in the difficult circumstances Cottrell inherited, the archbishop had no power to remove Tudor from ministry and could not be held responsible for previous decisions allowing Tudor's return. The tribunal president found the appointments were "made in good faith and do not amount to misconduct."
Archbishop's Response and Church Safeguarding Context
In response to the tribunal's findings, Archbishop Cottrell stated: "We all have much to learn from this case. There are some things I wish I had done differently." He expressed regret for renewing Tudor's appointments in 2013 and 2018 and apologised for the hurt caused to victims and survivors.
Church documents indicate Cottrell was briefed about Tudor during his initial weeks as Bishop of Chelmsford in 2010 and worked to minimise the risk Tudor posed. Cottrell explained that since Tudor had already been allowed back into ministry and could not be removed, efforts focused on managing risk through assessments and safeguarding agreements. He noted that an independent risk assessment had classified Tudor as "low risk."
Broader Church Challenges
This case emerges amid a series of abuse scandals that have affected the Church of England in recent years. These culminated in the resignation of former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in 2024. His successor, Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, has pledged to address misogyny while also facing a dismissed complaint over her handling of a safeguarding matter.
The tribunal's decision highlights ongoing challenges in church safeguarding protocols and the complex responsibilities of senior clergy in managing historical abuse cases within existing institutional frameworks.
