Archbishops apologise after pay-out to Blackburn canon said to pose ‘potential risk’ to children

Aug 14, 2024 by Jill

by Donna Birrell, Premier:

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have apologised to abuse survivors who they say have been “let down by the church”.

It follows a BBC investigation which found that a clergyman at Blackburn Cathedral who had reportedly been assessed as a potential risk to children and young people was given a pay-out.

Canon Andrew Hindley worked in the Diocese of Blackburn from 1991 to 2021, and was subject to five police investigations, including into allegations of sexual assault. However, he did not leave his post until 2022 when it’s believed he was offered a payment in the region of £240,000.

The BBC said the exact amount was not clear because it was subject to non-disclosure agreements.

In a statement on its website the Church of England said:

“The case highlighted on the BBC today is complicated and very difficult for everyone involved particularly those who came forward. A number of allegations were made about the Canon over a number of years and a risk assessment was conducted. In the event, none of the allegations resulted either in a conviction in the criminal courts, or in a determination of misconduct in the independent Church courts through the Clergy Discipline Measure.”

The statement went on to say that Hindley, who served as a Canon Sacrist, had been removed from office on health grounds by the former Bishop of Blackburn in 2021, but had then brought a claim in the High Court for a judicial review of that decision, and payment was made in settlement.

In its report, the BBC said a risk assessment into Canon Hindley had been carried out by the NSPCC which found he presented “a risk of significant harm to children and young people” and advised he “should have no unsupervised contact with children or young people”.

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