More than 30 Church officials face the sack after Archbishop of Canterbury quits

Thirty members of the Church of England clergy face being sacked over their failure to stop the most prolific child abuser in the institution's history.

The Church's national safeguarding team is examining the actions of at least 30 officials named in a report as having prior knowledge of allegations against John Smyth .

Following the Archbishop of Canterbury's resignation over his failure to prevent the "prolific, brutal and horrific" abuse , Smyth's victims have called for two bishops and an associate minister to follow suit.

The Telegraph can disclose that dozens of church leaders, including several bishops, could now be removed for their role after an internal review of the case.

Despite knowledge of Smyth's abuse at the highest levels of the Church, Hampshire Police only opened an investigation in 2017 after Smyth was the subject of a Channel 4 News report.

Smyth died the following year, aged 75, while still under investigation, and so was never brought to justice.

The review by Keith Makin,a former social services director, which was published last week, found that Smyth's abuse was covered up by "powerful evangelical clergy".

It names at least 30 individuals who are believed to still hold posts or influential roles within the Church. The safeguarding team is now assessing whether their actions justify termination.

Over the summer, the safeguarding team commissioned an independent barrister to draft a document to help them work out if the failings of those named in the Makin review are serious enough to warrant removal from office, or other disciplinary measures, including having their licences to perform their duties revoked.

The KC's document will provide a framework for deciding whether the conduct of clergy named in the report meet the criteria for action under the Clergy Discipline Measure, a legal framework used by the Church to address misconduct.

It is understood that one of the individuals on the list, Rev Canon Andrew Cornes, is a central member of the Crown Nominations Committee, the secretive body responsible for appointing the next Archbishop of Canterbury .

Despite Canon Cornes being informed of Smyth's abuse by a victim in 1982, according to the review, he remains in the running to help select the Archbishop's successor.

A virtual meeting was held on Wednesday morning for a group of Smyth's victims by Alexander Kubeyinje, the Church's director of safeguarding, and Joanne Grenfell, the lead safeguarding bishop.

At this meeting, victims were informed that the safeguarding team is currently working through a list of names identified in Makin's report in line with the KC's document.

The list is understood to extend to at least 30 Anglican clergy members.

The Telegraph understands this approach has drawn criticism from some victims. The report reveals the Church conducted a "mapping exercise" in 2017 to identify who knew about Smyth's abuse – meaning it has had these names for seven years, which raises questions about why the process has taken so long.

In September 1982, one of Smyth's victims confided in Canon Cornes. It was the first time the victim had spoken to anyone about the abuse.

According to the Makin review, Canon Cornes said he "was unsurprised that John Smyth had homosexual tendencies".

It said: "There is no evidence to suggest that Andrew Cornes took action to respond to this, he suggests that he thought the matter was being dealt with."

Canon Cornes currently represents the diocese of Chichester on the General Synod.

Victims have already called for the resignations of the Rt Rev Stephen Conway, the Bishop of Lincoln; the Rt Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells, the Bishop of Episcopal Ministry at the Anglican Communion Office in London; and the Rev Sue Colman, associate minister at St Leonard's Church, Oakley.

All three were identified in the Makin review as having prior knowledge of allegations about Smyth.

Both bishops have said they regret not taking further action. Ms Colman has been approached for comment.

Smyth, a barrister and Christian camp leader, abused up to 130 boys and young men over four decades and across three continents, probably only ending with his death at the age of 75 in Cape Town in August 2018.

The Makin review found that Smyth's "abhorrent abuse" could have been exposed in 2013, four years before it was made public, if the Archbishop and other Church leaders had ensured police investigated concerns.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the Rt Rev Julie Conalty, the Bishop of Birkenhead, who is the deputy lead bishop for safeguarding, admitted that the Archbishop's resignation alone "is not going to solve the problem", as she spoke of the need for "institutional changes".

Canon Cornes has been contacted for comment.