Bishop Of Lincoln Arrested and Suspended as Police Probe Allegation of Sexual Assault
The Right Revd Stephen Conway, the Bishop Of Lincoln, has been suspended from ministry by the Archbishop of Canterbury and arrested on suspicion of sexual assault as part of an ongoing police investigation. The developments have prompted immediate changes in diocesan leadership and the referral of a safeguarding complaint to statutory authorities.
Development details
Lincolnshire Police arrested a 68-year-old man as part of an investigation into an allegation that a man was sexually assaulted between 2018 and 2025. The arrested individual was subsequently released on conditional bail while inquiries continue.
The complaint was made to the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team at the end of January and has been referred to the appropriate statutory authorities. The Archbishop of Canterbury applied the House of Bishops’ Code of Practice in suspending Bishop Conway from ministry while the National Safeguarding Team investigates the complaint.
In response to the suspension, the suffragan Bishop of Grantham, Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, will perform diocesan duties and act as the Diocesan Bishop during Bishop Conway’s absence. The Guardians of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham have said Bishop Conway resigned from his role as Visitor to the Shrine following the suspension.
Bishop Of Lincoln: Context and escalation
Stephen Conway was installed as Bishop of Lincoln in 2023 and has served in senior episcopal roles previously. He has also been a member of the House of Lords since 2014. The complaint that led to the current measures was escalated to the National Safeguarding Team, triggering a statutory referral and the suspension by the Archbishop of Canterbury under established safeguarding protocols.
Support arrangements have been signposted: the diocesan safeguarding team is available to anyone affected, and external agencies named for assistance include Safe Spaces and ThirtyOneEight. Diocesan statements have acknowledged the situation will be deeply unsettling for the local church community.
Immediate impact
The suspension and arrest have immediate administrative and pastoral consequences. Diocesan oversight has transferred to Dr Nicholas Chamberlain so that day-to-day episcopal functions continue while the inquiry proceeds. The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham has already begun work to identify a successor to the Visitor role vacated by Bishop Conway.
For individuals directly affected by the allegation, formal support channels have been made available through the diocesan safeguarding team and external support organisations named by the diocese. The combination of a safeguarding referral to statutory authorities and police action means both ecclesiastical and civil procedures are now running in parallel.
Forward outlook
Key procedural milestones are clear: the National Safeguarding Team will investigate the complaint forwarded at the end of January, statutory authorities will continue their inquiries, and Lincolnshire Police will progress its criminal investigation while the arrested individual remains on conditional bail. The diocese has stated there will be no further comment while the processes are ongoing.
What makes this notable is the convergence of internal safeguarding procedure and a criminal investigation, prompting immediate suspension under the Church’s code and the temporary reallocation of diocesan responsibilities. The timing matters because the complaint’s referral to the National Safeguarding Team and the subsequent arrest have set in motion both church and civil responses that will determine next steps for the diocese and for those affected.
