16 December 2024
On 29 October 2024, David Tudor was prohibited from ministry for life and removed from office as Team Rector of the Parish of Canvey Island in the Diocese of Chelmsford.
The penalty was imposed by a Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Southwark following a full and recent admission of guilt to disclosures of serious sexual abuse that were brought as a disciplinary complaint, relating to a period in the 1980s when he was a priest in the Diocese of Southwark and included serious sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old. David Tudor had been suspended from ministry in the Church of England since 2019.
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani said:
“I am deeply sorry for the profound hurt and harm David Tudor’s behaviour has caused and I welcome the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision to remove him from office and prohibit him from ministry for life.
“It took enormous courage from those who came forward to report David Tudor’s abuse that led to a formal complaint being investigated under the Clergy Discipline Measure and his lifetime prohibition from ministry. I am extremely grateful to them for doing so. I also pay tribute to the courage of the victims and survivors who spoke to today’s File on 4 programme.
“File on 4 has raised yet more disturbing questions for the Church of England; in particular about how this case was handled over many years and the decisions that were made. Some of those decisions were clearly wrong. I know listening to the programme has caused further anger, sadness and disillusionment for those who have suffered abuse in the Church and those who do so much in local parishes to keep our churches safe.
“I understand the desire to respond quickly and decisively. At the same time, and even more importantly we must respond well. I welcome the fact that there will be a national independent safeguarding practice review. It will have my full support and I hope it will answer the difficult questions that need to be answered in a timely way.
“I know that in situations like this turning to process can be perceived as an easy way out, but it is poor process, or an absence of process, that has led to many of the church’s failings in the past and we must not repeat those mistakes now. We must allow those professionals whose particular responsibility it is, the time and space to review this case properly and fully so that we can be guided by their conclusions.
“Finally, I want to say that I remain committed to hearing the voices of survivors and join the Bishop of Southwark in offering to meet survivors in this case. I also want to express my gratitude to the teams of safeguarding professionals in Chelmsford Diocese, Southwark Diocese and at the Church of England who continue to work together to support the survivors of David Tudor’s abuse. I want reiterate my profound thanks to those across our Diocese, who are committed and working to keep our churches safe for all. I know this is particularly challenging at this time.”
David Tudor became Team Vicar of Canvey Island in the Diocese of Chelmsford in 1997. He had returned to ministry in the Diocese of Southwark in 1994 after being prohibited for five years for sexual misconduct..
