Church ‘must Learn from Inquiry into Abuse Claims’

Yorkshire Post
July 23, 2013

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/church-must-learn-from-inquiry-into-abuse-claims-1-5880359

THE Archbishop of York has stressed the Church of England will learn from any failings after announcing the team who will lead an independent inquiry into allegations of child abuse against a former cathedral dean.

Dr John Sentamu revealed yesterday that members of the independent inquiry will report back to him with recommendations by the end of October after conducting the investigation into the allegations against Robert Waddington, a former Dean of Manchester Cathedral.

Dr Sentamu’s predecessor, Lord Hope of Thornes, has denied suggestions he covered up allegations against Mr Waddington, who died from cancer five years ago.

The Times has claimed that Lord Hope, who was Archbishop of York between 1995 and 2005, was twice informed about allegations against Mr Waddington, who is said to have abused a chorister in Manchester in the 1980s and a schoolboy in Australia.

The paper said the former Archbishop spoke to Mr Waddington and banned him from taking services but did not report him to the police.

The independent inquiry will be chaired by Judge Sally Cahill QC who will be assisted by Joe Cocker, a social work consultant. Nicola Harding, a solicitor and Registrar of the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, will act as the inquiry’s secretary.

Dr Sentamu stressed the Church of England must learn from any recommendations put forward by the inquiry which will help “address survivors’ concerns and to ensure today’s child protection policies are robust and effective”. He also urged anyone who may have information relevant to the inquiry to contact Mrs Harding.

He added: “In setting up this inquiry I want to make it crystal clear that the Church is ready to hear what really happened, face the facts, and acknowledge any failure of its systems to protect children from sexual abuse.

“The Church’s policies have been much improved since these things took place – but there is no room for complacency.”

Paperwork held at the Archbishop’s official residence of Bishopthorpe Palace along with files at the offices of the Bishop of Manchester and Manchester Cathedral will be made available to the inquiry team.

Church authorities will also be contacted in the Diocese of North Queensland and the Royal Commission in Australia to ensure that the inquiry has had access to all the “relevant communications” with the offices of the Bishop of Manchester and the Archbishop of York.

Lord Hope has strenuously denied that he was guilty of negligence in connection with the allegations surrounding Mr Waddington during his time as the Archbishop of York.

He released a statement in May this year after the allegations surfaced, and claimed that throughout his time as both a bishop and an archbishop he “always adhered to the “statutory practices of the Church of England concerning safeguarding”.

Contact: paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk