The Charity Commission has issued a formal reprimand to two major Church of England charities for serious failures in their handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a former bishop.
What the Investigation Found
The regulator stated that the Liverpool Diocesan Board of Finance and the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance did not properly manage safeguarding complaints against John Perumbalath. The Commission concluded that these failings, which occurred over a period of years, "amount to mismanagement in the administration of the two charities".
John Perumbalath, the former Bishop of Liverpool, resigned from his post a year ago after a Channel 4 News report. The report detailed allegations from two women, including accusations of non-consensual kissing and groping, and sexual harassment. Mr Perumbalath has consistently and vehemently denied all allegations.
Specific Failings Outlined
The official warning for the Chelmsford charity highlighted a "failure ongoing over a period of about two years" to report a serious incident to the Commission. This related to a complaint made in January 2023 about alleged misconduct by Mr Perumbalath during his previous role as Bishop of Bradwell.
Regarding the Liverpool charity, trustees were found to have "failed to consider or investigate" a complaint. The Commission said they did not act in the charity's best interests or take reasonable steps to protect people who came into contact with it.
In both cases, the Commission stated that a lack of proper procedures meant trustees who were aware of the allegations failed to act, preventing full board consideration of the risks.
Responses and Next Steps
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: "Lack of appropriate policies and procedures led to a failure to ensure that serious allegations against a senior figure were properly considered." The Commission will continue to engage with both charities as they work to address the concerns.
The Liverpool Diocesan Board of Finance apologised for the identified shortcomings and stated it had "already made changes to strengthen reporting and governance processes".
In a contrasting response, the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, and the diocesan safeguarding officer issued a joint statement. They said they "respectfully disagree" with some conclusions and found the decision to issue an official warning "disproportionate". They defended their response as "robust and survivor-led".
The findings, published on Friday 16 January 2026, underscore ongoing challenges within institutional safeguarding frameworks.
