Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey admitted in July ‘fobbing off’ sex abuse victims who had complained about a paedophile bishop.
Appearing before the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Lord Carey said he did not deal properly with letters sent to him after Peter Ball was arrested in 1992.
The letters were sent to his office by victims of Ball, then Bishop of Gloucester, who was arrested after it was discovered he had sexually abused a pupil, Neil Todd.
Apology
Lord Carey told the inquiry he was sorry for his actions, but also argued that it was not the role of the Church to investigate Ball’s crimes. He said they assumed the police were investigating thoroughly and there was ‘no awareness at the time’ that they should have passed the letters on.
Following his arrest, Ball received a caution and resigned from his role, but over the next five years was allowed to return to a respected position in the Church.
He was jailed in 2015 for misconduct in public office, after admitting to abusing 18 young men. Neil Todd killed himself in 2012.
Lord Carey oversaw Ball’s return to ministry and the payment of thousands of pounds to the bishop, but claimed he had been manipulated by him.
Oxford
The current Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby asked Lord Carey to stand down as an honorary assistant bishop in Oxford last year, after a report claimed that the Church had been colluding with Ball. But Lord Carey was reinstated months later, a move criticised by other CofE bishops.
