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Bishop Of Liverpool Resigns Amid Sexual Assault Allegations, Denies Wrongdoing

Bishop of Liverpool John Perumbalath has resigned following sexual assault allegations, which he denies, citing media trial.

The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, resigned has, citing a “trial by media” in response to allegations of sexual assault and harassment, which he has vehemently denied.

His resignation follows a turbulent period for the Church of England, already grappling with the fallout from the November resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby stepped down after independent findings suggested he had failed to act adequately against a serial child abuser within the Church.

Perumbalath, 58, was accused in a Channel 4 News program aired on Tuesday of sexually assaulting a woman on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2023. The program also included allegations that he had sexually harassed another bishop.

In his resignation statement, Perumbalath denied all allegations, stating that the scrutiny had become a “distraction” for the Diocese of Liverpool, where he had served as bishop since 2023.

“I do not wish this story to become a distraction for this incredible diocese and its people whom it has been an honour and joy to serve,” Perumbalath wrote in a letter published on the Diocese of Liverpool website.

He emphasised that his decision was not an admission of guilt or fault, but rather a response to the intense media pressure surrounding the case.

“This rush to judgment and my trial by media (be that social or broadcast) has made my position untenable due to the impact it will have on the Diocese of Liverpool and the wider Church whilst we await further reviews and next steps,” he added.

Perumbalath’s resignation comes amid ongoing investigations into the allegations. The Church of England’s safeguarding team had previously found insufficient evidence to pursue a safeguarding-related complaint after an initial report of misconduct was filed against him in early 2023.

Additionally, a separate complaint from another woman was rejected by an independent judge for being brought outside the one-year deadline for such claims.

Born in the Indian state of Kerala, Perumbalath was ordained in the Church of North India in 1994 and later moved to the UK in 2001, joining the Diocese of Rochester in southern England.

He had held the position of Bishop of Liverpool since 2023. Although he resigned from active ministry immediately, the exact date of his formal departure from the Diocese has yet to be determined.

The senior leadership of the Diocese of Liverpool acknowledged the painful nature of the situation, calling it “deeply painful” for all involved.

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