Archbishop of Canterbury accused of covering up abuse

Justin Welby 'failed to act' on safeguarding concerns, inquiry finds

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been accused of failing to act on safeguarding concerns about a senior cleric, an inquiry has found.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that Justin Welby "failed to take any action" despite being told about concerns about the behaviour of Bishop Peter Ball in 2013.

Ball was jailed for 32 months in 2015 for sexually abusing 18 young men over a period of 20 years.

Welby 'deeply sorry' for failing to act

In a statement, Welby said he was "deeply sorry" for failing to act on the concerns about Ball.

"I should have acted sooner and more decisively," he said. "I am committed to learning from my mistakes and to ensuring that the Church of England is a safe place for all."

Inquiry finds 'systemic failures' in safeguarding

The IICSA inquiry also found that there were "systemic failures" in the Church of England's safeguarding procedures.

The inquiry heard evidence from a number of survivors of abuse, who said that they had been failed by the Church.

The inquiry made a number of recommendations to the Church of England, including that it should improve its safeguarding procedures and that it should provide better support to survivors of abuse.