London, United Kingdom 
<meta charset="utf-8"/>The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has defended his handling of a sexual abuse case, rejecting calls to resign. He stated he acted as soon as legally possible to suspend priest David Tudor in 2019 after fresh allegations emerged.
Cottrell is set to take over temporary leadership of the Church of England in January following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby stepped down after facing criticism for his failure to address abuse cases effectively, leaving the church embroiled in a deepening crisis.
In a statement issued on Monday, Cottrell said, “I suspended David Tudor from office at the first opportunity when a new victim came forward to the police in 2019. Up until then, there were no legal grounds to take alternative action.”
<h2 dir="ltr">Victim's anguish and call for resignation</h2>
The case resurfaced following a BBC investigation, which revealed that Tudor, despite allegations and restrictions, continued in ministry. Tudor had been banned from being alone with children since 2008 and was later compensated £10,000 by the church for past abuse. One victim said Cottrell’s inaction felt like being “spat in the face.”
The Rt Rev Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, has joined the chorus of voices demanding accountability. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Hartley stated: “One archbishop has resigned over safeguarding failures, and now the remaining archbishop faces a serious issue that undermines trust. My personal view is that Stephen Cottrell cannot be the person to lead the urgent change needed."
<h2 dir="ltr">Legal constraints and accountability</h2>
Cottrell defended his actions, stating, “It had not been possible to remove Tudor from office until fresh complaints emerged. Once this happened in 2019, I acted immediately.” Church sources backed Cottrell, citing “clear and consistent legal advice” that prevented earlier action. Tudor has not responded to the recent allegations or the BBC investigation.
<h2 dir="ltr">Leadership crisis looms</h2>
As Stephen Cottrell prepares to assume leadership of the Church of England, calls for reform grow louder. Hartley criticised the church’s entrenched “old boys’ club” culture, arguing that only radical change can restore trust.
The ongoing crises highlight a pivotal moment for the Church of England as it grapples with safeguarding failures and the need for accountability in its highest ranks.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cottrell defended his actions, saying, "I couldn’t remove Tudor from his position until new complaints came forward in 2019. As soon as they did, I took action right away."



London, United Kingdom The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has defended his handling of a sexual abuse case, rejecting calls to resign. He stated he acted as soon as legally possible to suspend priest David Tudor in 2019 after fresh allegations emerged. Cottrell is set to take over temporary leadership of the Church of England in January following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby stepped down after facing criticism for his failure to address abuse cases effectively, leaving the church embroiled in a deepening crisis. In a statement issued on Monday, Cottrell said, “I suspended David Tudor from office at the first opportunity when a new victim came forward to the police in 2019. Up until then, there were no legal grounds to take alternative action.” Victim's anguish and call for resignation The case resurfaced following a BBC investigation, which revealed that Tudor, despite allegations and restrictions, continued in ministry. Tudor had been banned from being alone with children since 2008 and was later compensated £10,000 by the church for past abuse. One victim said Cottrell’s inaction felt like being “spat in the face.” The Rt Rev Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, has joined the chorus of voices demanding accountability. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Hartley stated: “One archbishop has resigned over safeguarding failures, and now the remaining archbishop faces a serious issue that undermines trust. My personal view is that Stephen Cottrell cannot be the person to lead the urgent change needed." Legal constraints and accountability Cottrell defended his actions, stating, “It had not been possible to remove Tudor from office until fresh complaints emerged. Once this happened in 2019, I acted immediately.” Church sources backed Cottrell, citing “clear and consistent legal advice” that prevented earlier action. Tudor has not responded to the recent allegations or the BBC investigation. Leadership crisis looms As Stephen Cottrell prepares to assume leadership of the Church of England, calls for reform grow louder. Hartley criticised the church’s entrenched “old boys’ club” culture, arguing that only radical change can restore trust. The ongoing crises highlight a pivotal moment for the Church of England as it grapples with safeguarding failures and the need for accountability in its highest ranks. (With inputs from agencies)

Archbishop of York defends handling of sexual abuse case, rejects demands to resign

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has defended his handling of a sexual abuse case, rejecting calls to resign. He stated he acted as soon as legally possible to suspend priest David Tudor in 2019 after fresh allegations emerged.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has defended his handling of a sexual abuse case, rejecting calls to resign. He stated he acted as soon as legally possible to suspend priest David Tudor in 2019 after fresh allegations emerged. Cottrell is set to take over temporary leadership of the Church of England in January following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby stepped down after facing criticism for his failure to address abuse cases effectively, leaving the church embroiled in a deepening crisis. In a statement issued on Monday, Cottrell said, “I suspended David Tudor from office at the first opportunity when a new victim came forward to the police in 2019. Up until then, there were no legal grounds to take alternative action.” Victim's anguish and call for resignation The case resurfaced following a BBC investigation, which revealed that Tudor, despite allegations and restrictions, continued in ministry. Tudor had been banned from being alone with children since 2008 and was later compensated £10,000 by the church for past abuse. One victim said Cottrell’s inaction felt like being “spat in the face.” The Rt Rev Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, has joined the chorus of voices demanding accountability. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Hartley stated: “One archbishop has resigned over safeguarding failures, and now the remaining archbishop faces a serious issue that undermines trust. My personal view is that Stephen Cottrell cannot be the person to lead the urgent change needed." Legal constraints and accountability Cottrell defended his actions, stating, “It had not been possible to remove Tudor from office until fresh complaints emerged. Once this happened in 2019, I acted immediately.” Church sources backed Cottrell, citing “clear and consistent legal advice” that prevented earlier action. Tudor has not responded to the recent allegations or the BBC investigation. Leadership crisis looms As Stephen Cottrell prepares to assume leadership of the Church of England, calls for reform grow louder. Hartley criticised the church’s entrenched “old boys’ club” culture, arguing that only radical change can restore trust. The ongoing crises highlight a pivotal moment for the Church of England as it grapples with safeguarding failures and the need for accountability in its highest ranks. (With inputs from agencies)

Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday.

The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in&nbsp;Bolivia&nbsp;in 2009 after decades of service there.

"At present, 35 people are accused and under investigation," Daniela Caceres, a department head at the Bolivian attorney general's office, told a press conference.&nbsp;

"We have 17 people, identified victims, but out of respect and as a precaution for the protection of the victims, we are not going to give specific details," she added.&nbsp;

Prosecutors opened an investigation following a report by the Spanish daily El Pais in April about the late Spanish priest Alfonso Pedrajas, whose diary indicated that he had abused more than 80 minors in&nbsp;Bolivia, where he had lived since the early 1970s.&nbsp;

Pedrajas also noted in his journal that senior clergy had known about his crimes and kept quiet.

Prosecutors on Tuesday confirmed that a copy of Pedrajas' diary had been delivered to them by the Society of Jesus in&nbsp;Bolivia.

But Caceres said the diary was not complete, with some pages skipped and some passages crossed out and erased.

She said Bolivian authorities will try to obtain the complete document or request the cooperation of Spanish prosecutors.

In a letter released in mid-June by Bolivian President Luis Arce, Pope Francis expressed his "shame and dismay" at the sexual abuse committed by the clerics and vowed to shed light on what happened.&nbsp;

Arce's government has discussed with the Vatican the need to improve controls to prevent priests with a history of sex offences from entering the country.

The Catholic Church has also set up four commissions to receive and process complaints.

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Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday. The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in Bolivia in 2009 after decades of service there.

Bolivian prosecutors are investigating 35 members of the Catholic Church after more than a dozen victims accused them of sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday. The statement comes as the country is reeling from confessions of abuse that were found in the personal diary of a Spanish priest who died in Bolivia in 2009 after decades of service there. "At present, 35 people are accused and under investigation," Daniela Caceres, a department head at the Bolivian attorney general's office, told a press conference. "We have 17 people, identified victims, but out of respect and as a precaution for the protection of the victims, we are not going to give specific details," she added. Prosecutors opened an investigation following a report by the Spanish daily El Pais in April about the late Spanish priest Alfonso Pedrajas, whose diary indicated that he had abused more than 80 minors in Bolivia, where he had lived since the early 1970s. Pedrajas also noted in his journal that senior clergy had known about his crimes and kept quiet. Prosecutors on Tuesday confirmed that a copy of Pedrajas' diary had been delivered to them by the Society of Jesus in Bolivia. But Caceres said the diary was not complete, with some pages skipped and some passages crossed out and erased. She said Bolivian authorities will try to obtain the complete document or request the cooperation of Spanish prosecutors. In a letter released in mid-June by Bolivian President Luis Arce, Pope Francis expressed his "shame and dismay" at the sexual abuse committed by the clerics and vowed to shed light on what happened. Arce's government has discussed with the Vatican the need to improve controls to prevent priests with a history of sex offences from entering the country. The Catholic Church has also set up four commissions to receive and process complaints. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bolivia investigates 35 Catholic Church members over sex abuse

A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses. The report is based on an investigation by Michal Gutowski for Polish TV broadcaster TVN. Gutowski claims that the pope, then known by his original name Karol Wojtyla, was aware of the cases of paedophile priests within the church while still serving as a cardinal in Krakow. Reportedly, to avoid a scandal, he transferred the priests to other far-away dioceses.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Report: 216,000 minors abused by French Catholic clergy

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In 2015, he even wrote a letter of recommendation to Vienna Cardinal Franz Koenig for one of the priests accused of paedophilia. The letter made no mention of the abuse accusations.

John Paul II was pope for 27 years — from 1978 until his death in 2005.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-the-ugly-face-of-child-sexual-abuse-in-catholic-church-562722">EXPLAINED: The ugly face of Child sexual abuse in Catholic church</a>

During his investigation, Gutowski talked to victims of the alleged paedophile priests. He also talked to the victim's families and former church diocese employees.

As proof, Gutowski, according to AFP, cites documents from former Communist-era SB secret police and rare church documents to which he managed to get access.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-5000-kids-have-been-sexually-abused-by-catholic-clergy-in-portugal-since-1950-report-561849">Around 5,000 kids have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy in Portugal since 1950: Report</a>

However, he was denied access to Krakow's diocese. In the past,&nbsp;the Polish church has refused to provide records to the judiciary or police on cases of church abuse of minors.

One of Gutowski's sources claimed to have in 1973 personally notified the former pope of acts of paedophilia. "Wojtyla first wanted to make sure it wasn't a bluff," claims the source.

The then-cardinal reportedly told him to keep the information under wraps, saying "he would deal with it."&nbsp;

Recent years have seen several reports of similar abuse of minors from the Polish church. Following the reports, especially in the past two years, several high-ranking church officials have been charged by the Vatican for covering up paedophilia by members of the clergy.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses.

A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses. The report is based on an investigation by Michal Gutowski for Polish TV broadcaster TVN. Gutowski claims that the pope, then known by his original name Karol Wojtyla, was aware of the cases of paedophile priests within the church while still serving as a cardinal in Krakow. Reportedly, to avoid a scandal, he transferred the priests to other far-away dioceses. Watch | Gravitas: Report: 216,000 minors abused by French Catholic clergy In 2015, he even wrote a letter of recommendation to Vienna Cardinal Franz Koenig for one of the priests accused of paedophilia. The letter made no mention of the abuse accusations. John Paul II was pope for 27 years — from 1978 until his death in 2005. Also read | EXPLAINED: The ugly face of Child sexual abuse in Catholic church During his investigation, Gutowski talked to victims of the alleged paedophile priests. He also talked to the victim's families and former church diocese employees. As proof, Gutowski, according to AFP, cites documents from former Communist-era SB secret police and rare church documents to which he managed to get access. Also read | Around 5,000 kids have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy in Portugal since 1950: Report However, he was denied access to Krakow's diocese. In the past, the Polish church has refused to provide records to the judiciary or police on cases of church abuse of minors. One of Gutowski's sources claimed to have in 1973 personally notified the former pope of acts of paedophilia. "Wojtyla first wanted to make sure it wasn't a bluff," claims the source. The then-cardinal reportedly told him to keep the information under wraps, saying "he would deal with it." Recent years have seen several reports of similar abuse of minors from the Polish church. Following the reports, especially in the past two years, several high-ranking church officials have been charged by the Vatican for covering up paedophilia by members of the clergy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former Pope John Paul II covered up cases of paedophilia in church: Report