Welby to quit over 'prolific' church abuser

THE Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has announced he will resign, following days of pressure after a damning review into the most prolific abuser associated with the Church of England.

The independent Makin Review concluded that barrister John Smyth might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013. Mr Welby had apologised but stated that he would not resign, following the review’s publication last week.

The past week had seen a range of people, from the Bishop of Newcastle to abuse victims and members of the General Synod – the Church of England’s parliament – insist that Mr Welby’s position had become “untenable”.