UNITED KINGDOM
Daily Mail

Former Archbishop denies cover-up over paedophile priest who escaped prosecution over child abuse claims

By HUGO GYE

One of Britain’s top churchmen has denied that he covered up the crimes of a paedophile priest who attacked choirboys and schoolchildren.

When David Hope was Archbishop of York, he was twice told that Robert Waddington, former Dean of Manchester, had been accused of exploiting his position to molest young boys.

Waddington was disciplined by Church officials and banned from holding services, but the allegations against him were never passed on to police.

The former Archbishop, now Lord Hope of Thornes, yesterday admitted he should have told officers about the sexual abuse claims because he was worried about the health of the paedophile.