A senior Anglican bishop, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, is facing mounting calls to resign due to his handling of a sexual abuse case during his tenure as Bishop of Chelmsford. Cottrell, the Church’s second most senior cleric, is set to temporarily lead the Anglican Church early next year following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby stepped down after an independent report revealed that he failed to formally report decades-long abuse by a Church-affiliated lawyer, highlighting a history of cover-ups within the Church of England.

Cottrell’s alleged mishandling involves allowing priest David Tudor to remain in ministry despite knowledge of his troubling past. Tudor had been banned by the Church from being alone with children and had received compensation claims from a sexual abuse victim. According to a BBC investigation, Cottrell was informed upon becoming Bishop of Chelmsford in 2010 that Tudor had faced criminal charges in the 1980s. Tudor was acquitted of one charge but admitted to sexual relations with a minor and had another conviction overturned on technical grounds. Despite these allegations, Tudor returned to ministry under restricted terms but later became an area dean overseeing 12 parishes.

Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley criticized Cottrell’s inaction, stating it undermined his moral authority to lead the Church. She argued that stronger measures should have been taken, particularly given Tudor’s ban from working with children. Tudor was permanently banned from ministry only two months ago after a disciplinary tribunal deemed his past conduct an abuse of trust and grooming. At least seven women have come forward alleging abuse by Tudor, according to the BBC.