Former Church of England leader says scale of abuse scandal was 'overwhelming'

FILE PHOTO: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby looks on as he speaks with the press after a visit to the grave of Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero, during a visit to El Salvador, at The Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador, El Salvador, June 4, 2024. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) -Justin Welby, the former spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, reiterated he had failed to ensure proper investigations into allegations of abuse within the Church of England, saying the scale of the issue was "overwhelming".

Welby stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury in November 2024, after calls for him to resign intensified following a report that found he had taken insufficient action to stop one of the Church's most prolific serial abusers.