NRI Bishop Denies Sexual Assault Allegations
Los Angeles/Jan 29, 2025
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
NRI Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, has denied allegations of sexual assault and harassment made by two women. The accusations, dating back to 2023, emerged months after the Church of England (C of E) faced a major abuse scandal that led to the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Perumbalath stated that police had investigated the claims but took no further action. He also cooperated with an internal review by the National Safeguarding Team (NST), which found insufficient evidence to bring a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM).
One woman accused him of non-consensual kissing and groping, while another alleged sexual harassment. The Church of England confirmed that a second complaint was filed after the first but was dismissed by an independent judge due to missing the one-year filing deadline.
Perumbalath insisted he had done nothing wrong but acknowledged the need to be mindful of how his actions are perceived. “I take safeguarding very seriously and work hard to provide proper leadership in this area,” he said.
The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Church’s handling of misconduct cases. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who temporarily replaced Welby, is also facing calls to step down over separate abuse-related allegations involving a reappointed priest.
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