Welby: I've let God down, I've let people down over sex abuse in the Church

...but ex-archbishop ‘forgives' twisted abuser

- By Giles Sheldrick

FORMER Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says he "let God down" over his handling of the sex abuse scandal that forced him to quit.

Mr Welby also said he would "forgive" serial abuser John Smyth if he were alive. And he admitted he was "profoundly ashamed" of a speech in which he made light of his exit.

In his first interview since resigning last November, Mr Welby, 69, said yesterday he didn't know if he had been "cancelled" - or boycotted - by society.

He added: "We won't know that for 30 or 40 years and I'll be dead by that time. I don't know, I can't answer that. You'd have to ask others.

Failure