Former Bishop of Durham Paul Butler Admits Misconduct in John Smyth Case

The former Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, has formally admitted to misconduct regarding his handling of abuse allegations against the late John Smyth. The admissions were made during a hearing before the Court of the Vicar General of York, following a complaint brought by the Church of England’s National Director of Safeguarding, Alexander Kubeyinje. The hearing has been adjourned, with a future session scheduled to determine the appropriate penalty, which could range from a conditional discharge to a permanent ban from ministry.

Butler, who previously served as the lead bishop for safeguarding, is one of seven clergy members facing disciplinary action following the publication of the Makin Review. This report investigated the Church of England’s failure to adequately address decades of abuse committed by Smyth in Britain and Africa. The scandal previously led to the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury, who acknowledged personal failures in ensuring the allegations were energetically investigated. While Welby accepted responsibility, he also contested certain findings, citing police instructions to pause internal investigations to avoid compromising their own inquiries.