Senior members of the Diocese of Liverpool have called the current position of the Bishop of Liverpool John Perumbalath “untenable” following a number of allegations brought against him.
As part of a Channel 4 investigation, two women accused the Bishop of sexual assault and harassment between 2019 and 2021, before he was enthroned in his current position.
The allegations, which the Bishop John Perumbalath denies, allege that he sexually assaulted a senior clergywoman in Essex on separate occasions between 2019 and 2023 – after two women separately made disclosures to victims’ advocate Andrew Graystone.
Writing to the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, a number of senior leaders of the Diocese of Liverpool said that they had listened to their clergy, congregations, and staff, and had concluded that the Bishop’s position is “currently untenable”.
The statement continued: “We believe that the allegations made by the female bishop need to be fully and properly investigated.
“We also believe that while these proper investigations are conducted the Bishop of Liverpool will need to step aside from all ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool.”
The statement was signed Debra Walker, Chair of the House of Laity, Peter Dawkin, Chair of the House of Clergy, Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley & Sefton, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Archdeacon of Liverpool, and Simon Fisher, Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington.
Bishop Perumbalath said he has “consistently denied” the allegations and complied with any investigation from the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
