Judge to Head Inquiry into Church's Handling of Abuse Allegations

The Northern Echo
July 28, 2013

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10576893.Judge_to_head_inquiry_into_church_s_handling_of_abuse_allegations/

THE ARCHBISHOP of York has appointed a judge to head an inquiry into the handling of allegations of child abuse by a former senior clergyman.

Judge Sally Cahill QC is to chair an independent inquiry into issues surrounding reports that the Very Reverend Robert Waddington, who died in 2007, groomed and abused a chorister in Manchester in the 1980s.

The former Dean of Manchester Cathedral is also said to have targeted a pupil at a boarding school in Queensland, Australia, where he was headteacher in the 1960s.

According to an investigation by a national newspaper, Lord Hope of Thornes was informed of the two claims in 1999 and 2003, while he was Archbishop of York.

He strongly denies allegations of a cover-up. Following the accusations, Lord Hope revoked Dean Waddington's right to conduct church services and ordered internal investigations into the alleged abuse.

But Lord Hope said the clergyman was in "such a fragile and frail state" with his deteriorating health that it was not reported to the authorities.

Dr Sentamu announced earlier this year he would launch an independent inquiry into the allegations when they came to light following the newspaper investigation.

Judge Cahill will be assisted in the inquiry by Joe Cocker, an independent social work consultant. The inquiry will seek to establish what information suggesting that Robert Waddington had committed sexual abuse was made known to whom in the Church of England, whether child protection policies were implemented and other issues.