The Church of England said Tuesday it will pursue disciplinary action against 10 clergy members, including former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, following a report last year that exposed widespread failures in handling child abuse allegations.
The move comes after an independent review found the church failed to stop John Smyth, a British lawyer and Christian camp volunteer, from abusing more than 100 boys and young men over four decades.
The disciplinary process could lead to penalties ranging from a permanent ban from ministry to resignation. Among those named are eight priests, a former bishop, and Carey, who led the Anglican Communion from 1991 to 2002.
The church has faced intense scrutiny since the report’s release in November, which concluded that former Archbishop Justin Welby did not take adequate action against one of the church’s most prolific abusers. Welby later resigned in response to the findings.
“We must not forget that at the heart of this case are the survivors and victims who have endured the lifelong effects of the appalling abuse by John Smyth. We are truly sorry,” Alexander Kubeyinje, the church’s National Director of Safeguarding, said in a statement.
He added that the church remains committed to addressing the review’s findings and implementing its recommendations.