Former archbishop of Canterbury could face disciplinary action after damning abuse report

The former Archbishop of Canterbury resigned in December following an investigation into the Church’s handling of separate sexual abuse allegations. A former archbishop of Canterbury is among a number of clergy facing possible disciplinary action over safeguarding failures after an abuse report which prompted Justin Welby's resignation, the Church of England has announced.

Lord George Carey, who still sits in the upper chamber, was named in the Makin review, which concluded abuse carried out for decades by Christian camp leader John Smyth was known about and not acted upon by various people within the Church. Lord Carey resigned as a priest in December following an investigation into the Church of England's handling of a separate sexual abuse case.

He is one of 10 clergy named by the Church's national safeguarding team (NST) on Tuesday as people they are seeking to bring disciplinary proceedings against over potential failures in safeguarding. The Makin report said Lord Carey had been informed of Smyth's abuse and been sent a copy of a previous report into it "but he denies seeing it".

The Church said: “This has been a rigorous and independent process to look at whether those named present any immediate risk and consider whether there is a case for disciplinary proceedings for clergy, under the Clergy Discipline Measure. This has been undertaken in line with the process announced in December with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.”.

Other clergy facing disciplinary proceedings include Bishop Paul Butler, Revd Roger Combs, Revd Sue Colman, Revd Andrew Cornes, Revd Tim Hastie-Smith, Revd Hugh Palmer, Revd Paul Perkin, Revd Nick Stott, Revd John Woolmer. The Church has sought the permission of the President of the Tribunals to bring such cases as they are ‘out of time’, which will be done by the National Director of Safeguarding, Alexander Kubeyinje.

Mr Kubeyinje said: “We must not forget that at heart of this case are the survivors and victims who have endured the lifelong effects of the appalling abuse by John Smyth, we are truly sorry. Today we have announced next steps in the process looking at both risk and disciplinary processes. We know this will never undo the harm caused but the Church is committed to taking very seriously its response to the findings of the review as well as responding to its recommendations.”.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, who served in the role between 1991 and 2002, was made a life peer the same year he stepped down from the role, but has repeatedly faced criticism for his handling for a number of abuse allegations against members of the clergy.

He first faced criticism in 2017 when Dame Moira Gibb’s independent investigation found he covered up, by failing to pass to police, six out of seven serious sex abuse allegations against Bishop Peter Ball, a year after Lord Carey became archbishop. In 2020, the Church found he could have done more to pass to police allegations of beatings by John Smyth.

In 2024, he resigned from the Church following BBC investigation which found he had advocated for alleged child abuser David Tudor to return to priesthood. He said: "I wish to surrender my Permission to Officiate.". "It has been an honour to serve in the dioceses of London, Southwell, Durham, Bristol, Bath and Wells, Canterbury and finally Oxford," Lord Carey said. "I am in my ninetieth year now and have been in active ministry since 1962 when I was made Deacon and then Priested in 1963.".