Church of England Dismisses Complaint Against Incoming Archbishop Sarah Mullally

The Church of England has dismissed a complaint regarding the handling of an abuse allegation against Dame Sarah Mullally, the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury. This decision was made by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who stated on January 7 that no further action would be taken against Mullally. The complaint was filed by a man known as Survivor N, who alleged that Mullally mishandled a report concerning a priest in her diocese of London. Mullally is set to officially assume her role on January 28, following the resignation of Justin Welby due to his handling of a safeguarding scandal.

The GuardianThe Independent

Survivor N claims that he was abused by a priest in 2014 and reported the incident to the Diocese of London. After making a formal complaint in 2019, he alleged that Mullally breached church protocols by sending a confidential email about the allegation to the priest involved. This situation reportedly exacerbated Survivor N's mental health issues, leading him to express feelings of suicidal ideation. The Diocese of London has stated that proper procedures were followed and that there is no outstanding complaint against Mullally.

The Guardian

The dismissal of the complaint has sparked criticism regarding the Church of England's internal disciplinary processes. Robert Thompson, an Anglican vicar and member of the General Synod, emphasized that while the case may be closed on paper, it does not address the underlying issues of trust and accountability within the church. He stated, “This decision does not resolve the serious questions that have been raised about safeguarding culture, accountability, and the handling of power at the highest levels of the church.” Thompson called for a reevaluation of the church's procedures to restore credibility and trust among survivors of abuse.

The GuardianThe Independent

In a statement, Mullally acknowledged that the complaint against her from 2020 “was not properly dealt with” and expressed her commitment to ensuring that future complaints are addressed in a timely manner. The Church has indicated that the 2020 complaint against the priest is currently being revisited and is under consideration by the Right Reverend Jonathan Baker, the Bishop of Fulham.

The Independent

There are discrepancies regarding the timeline and handling of the allegations. While the Diocese of London claims that no safeguarding concerns were found in the initial investigations of Survivor N's allegations in 2014 and 2015, the complainant has expressed dissatisfaction with the church's response. Additionally, the complaint against Mullally was reportedly not followed up due to “administrative errors and an incorrect assumption about the individual’s wishes,” raising questions about the church's internal communication and processes.

The Guardian

• “In an email to the Guardian, Thompson said: “The dismissal of this CDM complaint by the archbishop of York may close a case on paper, but it does not close the trust deficit.” — Robert Thompson, Anglican Vicar

The Guardian

• “ In a statement last year, Mullally said it was clear that a complaint made against her in 2020 “was not properly dealt with”.” — Dame Sarah Mullally, Incoming Archbishop of Canterbury

The Guardian

• “Survivors of abuse in the Church of England aren’t likely to have any confidence that they will be treated justly, given the incestuous complaints processes of the Church of England.” — Andrew Graystone, Advocate for Abuse Survivors

The Independent

The situation surrounding Sarah Mullally's appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury continues to raise significant concerns about the Church of England's handling of abuse allegations and its commitment to safeguarding practices.

The Independent