Two Church of England charities have received warnings from the Charity Commission regarding their management of allegations against a former bishop accused of inappropriate behavior. The Diocesan Boards of Finance for Liverpool and Chelmsford were criticized for their handling of safeguarding claims against John Perumbalath, who resigned as Bishop of Liverpool amidst allegations from two women.
One woman accused Perumbalath of unwanted kissing and groping, while another alleged sexual harassment. The latter, identified as the former bishop of Warrington, Beverley Mason, emphasized that no one is above the law. This incident added to existing concerns within the Church of England about safeguarding failures, including the recent resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby due to mishandling of a separate case.
The Charity Commission reprimanded the two diocesan charities for mismanagement in addressing the allegations against Perumbalath. The watchdog pointed out deficiencies in procedures and oversight that led to a failure to take appropriate actions. Trustees were faulted for not adequately investigating complaints and for lacking processes to ensure the safety of individuals associated with the charities.
Both the Chelmsford and Liverpool diocesan charities were urged to improve their policies and procedures to handle such serious allegations more effectively. Despite disagreements with some of the Commission’s conclusions, Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani and safeguarding officer Amanda Knight expressed their commitment to enhancing procedures and learning from the incident.
The trustees of the Liverpool charity accepted the Commission’s findings and vowed to implement necessary changes to strengthen reporting and governance. The Church of England emphasized its dedication to safeguarding responsibilities and expressed willingness to address recommendations from regulatory bodies promptly.
John Perumbalath, who denied the allegations, acknowledged the importance of understanding how his actions could be perceived by others and committed to reflecting on the lessons learned throughout the process.
