Bishop of Liverpool accused of sexual assault and harassment
Bishop of Liverpool accused of sexual assault and harassment
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John Perumbalath denies allegations by two women from 2023, saying police investigated and took no further action. The bishop of Liverpool has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by two women. John Perumbalath denies the allegations from 2023, which come months after the Church of England was embroiled in an abuse scandal that triggered the resignation of the archbishop of Canterbury.
Perumbalath said police had investigated the allegations but taken no further action. He added that while he did not believe there had been any wrongdoing, he had “taken seriously the lessons learnt”. One woman accused Perumbalath of kissing her without consent and groping her, and another woman accused him of sexual harassment, according to Channel 4 News.
“The allegations set out in this programme are in relation to encounters that took place in public settings, with other people present,” he said. “I have consistently denied the allegations made against me by both complainants.”. Perumbalath, who became bishop of Liverpool in 2023, said he had complied with an investigation by the National Safeguarding Team (NST). The allegations, which were raised in Essex, had also been investigated by the police, he said, who took no further action.
“Whilst I don’t believe I have done anything wrong, I have taken seriously the lessons learnt through this process addressing how my actions can be perceived by others,” he said. “I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area.”.
