Ex-Archbishop of Wales loses right to officiate at church services following abuse report

Martin Shipton

A retired Archbishop of Wales has had his right to hold church services withdrawn after being criticised in a report about how a paedophile priest was able to become a bishop.

Anthony Pierce, who served as the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon from 1999 until 2008, was jailed for four years in February 2025 after pleading guilty to five charges of indecent assault in the 1980s on a boy under the age of 16. At the time Pierce was a parish priest in the West Cross area of Swansea.

Last week the Church in Wales published an independent investigation report into the case, focussing on the fact that some senior clerics had failed to pass on what they had known about Pierce’s behaviour in relation to another allegation of child sexual abuse.

The report by Gabrielle Higgins, a former practising barrister and Diocesan Secretary in Chichester, concluded that a number of clerics, some now dead, should have passed on their suspicions about Pierce.

Those concerned are referred to in the report by initials. We can reveal that “Bishop F”, who is referred to in the report is John Davies, who succeeded Pierce as Bishop of Swansea and Brecon in 2010. Between 2017 and 2021 he was also the Archbishop of Wales.

A section of Ms Higgins’ report describes the failures of Bishop F, stating: “Bishop F knew that an allegation had been made against AP in 1993 and repeated in 1999, and that in 1999 AP admitted an unidentified allegation from a parent, and had agreed that what had occurred was inappropriate.

“On the other hand, he had been told that in 1993 the concern had not been substantiated, but this is difficult to reconcile with, or at the very least should have been superseded by, the admission in 1999.

“Despite this knowledge he wrote to the Head of Resources on March 30 2009 and to Bishop B and Archdeacon H in similar terms indicating an intention not to refer the matter to Independent Officer K, the person engaged to conduct the HCR [Historic Case Review] unless advised otherwise.

“I do not accept the suggestion he made in February 2010 that he was advised not to do anything, as the matter had been dealt with, and think it considerably more likely that he simply did not receive a reply. He did not refer the information on until he was asked about it by Independent Officer K almost a year later.

“Nor do I accept the suggestion made by the Head of Resources at a late stage in this review that she advised him by telephone to refer the information on, but not until approached by Independent Officer K; this was not suggested by either Bishop F or the Head of Resources during the criticism the following year of the failure to refer the information on; it is inconsistent with what Bishop F did say the following year; and it is difficult to reconcile with the clear expectation of the Safeguarding Panel the following year that it should have been referred on Immediately.”

Tip off

A Church in Wales source tipped off Nation.Cymru that former Archbishop Davies no longer held a Permission to Officiate.

Permission to Officiate (PTO) in the Church in Wales allows retired or non-parish-based clergy to minister within a diocese. It requires an enhanced DBS check, mandatory “Safe Church” training, and a “Clergy Current Status Letter” confirming good standing. PTO is typically granted for up to three years by the bishop. It can be renewed.

A spokesperson for the Church in Wales said: “Yes, we can confirm that he no longer has PTO.”

A Church in Wales source said: “I’m not sure this has ever happened to a former Archbishop of Wales before. It’s quite humiliating, but appropriate in the circumstances.”

The current Archbishop of Wales, Cherry Vann, has pledged to ensure that the Church’s processes will in future always comply with best safeguarding practice.