Following a preliminary oral hearing on abuse on 28 April 2026 and a preliminary determination on the papers of an application to amend the charges, both of which matters were dealt with by the Chair alone, the final hearing of the case took place over two days on 27 and 28 July 2026. The Decision finding the charge proved was announced at the end of the oral hearing with written reasons here.
On 6 August 2026, the Church of England issued the Press Notice Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal in case of the Rev Canon Andrew Cornes extracts of which are reproduced below.
Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal in case of the Rev Canon Andrew Cornes
06/08/2026
A Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of London has upheld a complaint brought by the Director of the National Safeguarding Team against the Reverend Canon Andrew Cornes under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003.
The complaint related to criticism of his actions contained in the Makin Review, which looked at the Church’s handling of allegations against the late John Smyth.
The Tribunal was satisfied that in 1982 Mr Cornes received a disclosure of abuse from a victim and survivor of John Smyth. The Tribunal found that Mr Cornes was under a duty, as part of his office as a priest in the Church of England, to take action to protect the young and vulnerable from harm by reporting the information he received, and that by failing to do so he was neglectful in the performance of his duties.
The judgment has been published in full on the Church of England website. The Tribunal has today imposed a conditional discharge for 12 months on Mr Cornes. A further written decision with reasons will be published in due course.
The NST brought complaints under the Clergy Discipline Measure against 10 members of clergy who were criticised in the Makin Review. The allegation against Mr Cornes was one of four complaints that have been referred to a tribunal or court for determination.
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