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'Unjust' Justin Welby will be judged for sacking me over sex abuse case, former Archbishop says

Lord Carey was forced out of the Church of England over the Peter Ball case 
Lord Carey was forced out of the Church of England over the Peter Ball case

The former Archbishop of Canterbury has hit out at his "unjust" successor Justin Welby over the way he has treated him for his handling of sex abuse claims. 

Lord George Carey says that the current Archbishop's decision to ask him to step aside over his handing of allegations made against Bishop Peter Hall "will eventually be judged".

The comments, in a Christmas letter to friends, come just days after The Most Rev Justin Welby was criticised for his own handling of a sex scandal when he refused to clear a bishop besmirched by the Church of England, saying instead that a "significant cloud" hangs over him."

A damning public inquiry this week found that the Church of England "rushed to judgement" when they issued a formal public apology and paid £16,800 to woman who accused George Bell, the former bishop of Chichester, of historic sex abuse.

Justin Welby has now been criticised over his own handling of a sex scandal 
Justin Welby has now been criticised over his own handling of a sex scandal

  Although it is understood that the comments by Lord Carey on his own treatment were written in November, they were not sent out until this weekend at the end up a turbulent week for the church. 

In a letter entitled "Greetings from The Careys 2017", Lord Carey updates his friends about developments in the year. 

He writes: "Less desirable has been the shocking insistence by the Archbishop that I should stand down from ministry ‘for a season’ for mistakes he believes were made 24 years ago when Bishop Peter Ball abused young potential priests. His decision is quite unjust and eventually will be judged as such.

"Just as well, then , that we are surrounded by a large and wonderful family who give us great support and pleasure."

Lord Carey stood down as honorary assistant bishop in the diocese of Oxford in June after a separate inquiry criticised the Church's handling of the Ball case in which he was accused of a cover up

Mr Welby has taken the unprecedented step of asking him to “carefully consider his position”.  Ball was jailed in 2015 for grooming and sexually abusing you men who had sought spiritual guidance over 15 years.