The four bishops under pressure to follow Welby and resign

Victims of John Smyth, who abused up to 130 boys and young men across four decades and three continents, have since called for two bishops and an associate minister to resign.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Rt Rev Julie Conalty, the Bishop of Birkenhead, who is the deputy lead bishop for safeguarding, admitted that the Archbishop’s resignation alone “is not going to solve the problem”, as she spoke of the need for “institutional changes”.

As pressure mounts, The Telegraph has identified the four most senior Anglican leaders who are accused in the Makin review of being aware of allegations against Smyth before they were made public in 2017 — and who are still in post.

The Rt Rev Stephen Conway, the Bishop of Lincoln is among the most senior clergymen to be called on to resign.

He was serving as the Bishop of Ely in 2013 when one of Smyth’s victims, who wishes to remain anonymous, informed the diocese of abuse allegations.

While the diocese did pass on some information to the police, and wrote a letter to Cape Town, it did not take sufficient action to ensure that either were followed up, according to the report.

The Makin review found Bishop Conway had been in a “powerful position to … reinforce the referral to South Africa, to ensure that a police referral had been made and was being investigated, and to make sure that the full extent of the concerns regarding this disclosure of serious abuse was being fully pursued”.

However, under his leadership, “opportunities were missed” to formally report concerns to the police and to follow up on a letter sent to the Cape Town diocese.

Speaking to The Telegraph, the victim who reported the concerns said: “If a single person is responsible for the failure of finding and stopping Smyth, it is Stephen Conway.

“There was a failure to stop the most prolific abuser the Church of England has ever seen and the buck stops at Stephen Conway.”

Andrew Morse, a victim who was severely beaten by Smyth as a teenager, backed calls for the bishop to resign.

He said: “Conway should resign for obstructing the Smyth victims in our long road to justice.

“I cannot see how someone so closely associated with the problem can be part of any solution.”

In a statement published on Monday, the Bishop of Lincoln said: “In light of the review, I understand that there were further actions I could have taken following my reporting of the disclosures made to us in the Diocese of Ely about John Smyth. I am sorry that I did not pursue these actions at that time.

“In 2013, in following the safeguarding advice, policy and practice of that time, I believed that I had done all I could and that the allegations were being responded to appropriately.

“I know that as a bishop, I must continually strive, then as now, for the best safeguarding practice in our diocese, and I am firm in my personal commitment to the support of all victims and survivors.”

Another bishop facing pressure to stand down over the scandal is the Rt Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells, the Bishop for Episcopal Ministry at the Anglican Communion Office in London.

In 2013, Bishop Wells was working for the Archbishop of Canterbury as his personal chaplain at Lambeth Palace. It was Bishop Wells who received the safeguarding referral from Bishop Conway that raised allegations against Smyth.

But the report found that she failed to follow up on this referral with the police.

Instead, Bishop Wells told Bishop Conway she would, according to the review, “leave it to the diocese to pursue and to take no further action until the police had provided further advice”.

The reviewers found this advice never came and there was “no evidence” she followed this up.

She suggested to the review that safeguarding was not part of her brief at the time.

Calling for her resignation, the anonymous victim stressed that the bishop had “clear knowledge of the abuse in 2013” but “failed to follow up in any way”.

In a statement, Dr Bailey Wells said she was “appalled” by the abuse perpetrated by Smyth and that she recognised “the immense courage” of victims who came forward.

She added: “I served as chaplain to Archbishop Justin from 2013-2016. When I was asked to bring this matter to his attention I had confidence that it was being overseen elsewhere, and part of a police investigation. I was not aware of the nature or extent of the allegations. I regret that I did not do more to verify the assurances given or query assumptions.”

In 2013, Bishop Conway wrote to the Rev Garth Counsell, then Bishop of Table Bay, Cape Town, who is now retired, to raise safeguarding concerns about Smyth.

An email sent by Bishop Counsell to the diocese of Ely on Aug 27 2013, states that he has established that Smyth “belongs to one of the parishes in the diocese of Cape Town”.

The Bishop also said that he “will consult with the Archbishop of Cape Town, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, as to the way forward”.

However, the Makin review noted that on Sept 10, Bishop Conway reported that he had received a brief response from Cape Town and that he “does not think that much action will be taken”.

Smyth died in Cape Town in August 2018 while under investigation by Hampshire Police — a police investigation that began after Smyth’s abuse was the subject of a Channel 4 News report.

The review concluded that, “tragically for his victims, he was never brought to justice for the abuse”.

The Archbishop of Cape Town said he was “numbed and deeply saddened” at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation, but added that his “courageous decision” to “accept accountability” is an “important step towards eradicating, root and branch, the scandal of abuse in the church worldwide”.

In a statement he said: “The Anglican church in Cape Town in which John Smyth worshipped — for a year or two, 20 years ago, and again in the final months of his life — has reported that it never received any reports suggesting he abused or groomed young people, but there is no room for complacency.”

The Rt Rev Martin Seeley, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and a member of the Lords Spiritual, is also named in the Makin review as someone who was allegedly aware of concerns about Smyth’s conduct.

A former Anglican clergyman, Rico Tice, told the Makin review that he was asked by Bishop Seeley about John Smyth in the 1990s when he was applying for ordination.

Mr Tice said the question was asked during an interview by Bishop Seely, who at that time was a selection secretary on the Church’s Advisory Board of Ministry in London.

Bishop Seeley told the review he has no recollection of asking such a question, or being asked to do so.

Mr Tice is an evangelical Christian who served as an Anglican clergyman at All Souls Church, in London, until earlier this year, when he quit over the introduction of same-sex blessings.

In a statement on Tuesday, Bishop Seeley said “we know that no words can undo the damage done to people’s lives both by [Smyth] and by the failure of individuals in the Church and other institutions to respond well.

“I would like to add my profound gratitude and appreciation for the victims who came forward to reveal the horrific extent of Smyth’s abuse, for their courage, grace and dignity.”

He added: “The Church and its associated organisations clearly must be deeply penitent and learn from this review, and continue to be committed to implementing ongoing robust safeguarding procedures, across all parts of the Church.”

The diocese has been contacted for comment on Mr Tice’s allegation against Bishop Seeley, which is reported in the Makin review.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/13/bishops-conway-wells-seeley-makgoba-makin-review-john-smyth/