Justin Welby admits he ‘got it wrong’ over church sex abuse allegations

Politics
29 Mar 2025 • 6:02 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby admitted to mishandling child sex abuse allegations, particularly those against serial abuser John Smyth.
  • He acknowledged his failure to follow proper procedures, attributing it to the overwhelming number of cases he faced at the time.
  • A review revealed that Smyth might have been brought to justice sooner if Welby had reported him to the police five years earlier.
  • Welby resigned in November, expressing shame over the Church Of England's historical safeguarding failures.
  • He cautioned against rushing to judgment regarding public figures facing controversies and resignation calls.

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