Church tribunal upholds new abuse complaint against disgraced priest David Tudor
The Church of England is once again facing difficult questions as a tribunal has upheld a further complaint of child sexual abuse against former priest David Tudor. The latest ruling confirms that Tudor sexually abused a 15-year-old girl while serving in Surrey during the 1980s, another devastating revelation in a case that has spanned decades.
This new complaint, upheld by a Southwark diocesan tribunal, comes after Tudor was already banned from ministry for life in October 2024. At that time, he admitted abusing two girls between 1982 and 1989. Yet the full story is far wider than individual criminal acts: it exposes systemic failures that allowed Tudor to continue to abuse young girls despite allegations about him becoming known to senior individuals within the Church.
Tudor was convicted in 1988 for indecently assaulting three girls, though the conviction was later quashed on technical grounds. At the time, the Church banned him but only temporarily. Within five years he was back in ministry, and over the following decades rose to become a rector, area dean, and even an honorary canon.
By the time Tudor was appointed honorary canon in 2015, senior figures, including Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, were aware of a safeguarding agreement restricting Tudor from being alone with children or entering schools. They also knew he had paid compensation to a victim. Still, Tudor was elevated to a senior position.
The BBC’s reporting last year highlighted these failures, and it led to significant repercussions, including the resignation of former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, after it was revealed that he had advocated for Tudor during earlier phases of his career.
Archbishop Cottrell has since said he regrets how the case was handled, insisting he acted when a fresh complaint emerged in 2019. But for many survivors and advocates, the question remains: Why was a known risk allowed to remain in ministry for decades?
The Church of England’s promised safeguarding review, which intends to address those questions, has now been delayed until early next year because of “new police information.” For an institution still rebuilding public trust on safeguarding issues, this delay may frustrate those seeking transparency. Yet it also suggests there may be more to uncover.
If you were abused by David Tudor, you are not alone; support is available to you, and you have legal options. Please get in touch using my details below for a confidential conversation about your rights and the next steps to take.
