Former Archbishop of Canterbury quits priesthood over ‘poor handling of child abuse cases’

George Carey, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, has resigned over his alleged failure to properly handle child abuse cases.

A BBC investigation had found that Carey advocated for David Tudor, a priest accused of assaulting teenage girls, to return to the priesthood.

Tudor was banned by the church for five years in the 1980s over the allegations, but Carey later “allowed him to return under supervision”.

In October, Tudor admitted sexual misconduct and was sacked as a priest.

But in his resignation letter submitted on December 4, 89-year-old Carey did not reference the investigation.

“I wish to surrender my Permission to Officiate,” the letter reads.

“I am in my ninetieth year now and have been in active ministry since 1962 when I was made Deacon and then Priested in 1963. It has been an honour to serve in the dioceses of London, Southwell, Durham, Bristol, Bath and Wells, Canterbury and finally Oxford.

“I give thanks to God for his enduring faithfulness but want to recognise the remarkable contribution of Eileen [his wife], whose faithfulness and support has been outstanding.”

Carey’s resignation comes amid pressure Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, is facing to step down after being named complicit in allowing Tudor to stay in office.

Cottrell is due to take over next month as the church’s spiritual head from Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, who resigned in November over the way he handled separate sexual abuse claims.