Wayne Murdock, senior investigating officer into sexual abuse allegations against Ball in 1992 and 1993, said he expected Archbishop George Carey to provide information handed over by victims.

Lord Carey, who gave evidence to the enquiry on Tuesday, resigned as honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Oxford after an inquiry found he delayed a “proper investigation” into Ball’s crimes for two decades by failing to pass the information to police.

Mr Murdock, who was a Gloucestershire Police officer for 37 years, told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse on Wednesday: “Those letters should have been handed over and they could have made a difference.

“They knew what was going on. My expectation would have been that if you’ve got anything, you hand it over.

“From the Church, you don’t expect information to be withheld. You know, that’s really common sense.”

It was suggested by Fiona Scolding QC that information given to Gloucestershire Police by victims – including details about prayer while not fully clothed and massages – was not materially different to letters received by Lord Carey at the time.

Mr Murdock said: “We should have been the judge of that, not the archbishop. He knew we were carrying out investigation and he withheld that information.

“Had we had names, we could have followed up, gone and interviewed them and perhaps we would have got far…

Ven Mason, currently the Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven in the Diocese of Leeds, will minister alongside the Bishop of Liverpool as one of the “chief pastors” of the Liverpool Diocese.

Rt Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool said her appointment marks a new era in the diocese.

He said: “Bishops are called to lead the Church in holiness, in mission and in worship, and I know that Bev is richly equipped to do all these things among us.

“She will enrich the life of the Diocese and she will help us grow and flourish as we continue on the road we have chosen, asking God for a bigger church to make a bigger difference.”

After leaving school, Archdeacon Beverly worked for US stockbrokers in equity sales.

She became a Christian in 1994 when spending her gap year backpacking. It led to her to become a humanitarian aid worker for Christian charities before switching to ordained ministry.

Archdeacon Beverly said: “I join the Diocese of Liverpool at a crucial time for church and society.

“We live in a world full of uncertainties and with acts of violence; many are anxious and fearful, but one where so many are able to dream of a better world, hope for a better future.

“So many of these are driven by a strong spiritual connection to a God they might not know. The Church has a challenge to make that God real.”

Venerable Mason said she will encourage people to bring a friend to…

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), police smashed the front door of the pastor’s home on Sunday, punched him and his teenage son Daniel and used electric batons on them.

Pastor Nadarkhani was then reportedly taken to Evin prison.

The incident happened as the pastor was on bail awaiting a summons to prison following the failure in May of an appeal against his conviction.

Fellow Church of Iran members Mohammadreza Omidi, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Saheb Fadaie were also involved and charged with “acting against national security” by “promoting Zionist Christianity”.

The four men had been given ten year sentences but Pastor Nadarkhani and Mr Omidi got an additional two years each, to be served in remote and inhospitable locations in the south of the country.

They were all arrested in May 2016 during a series of raids by security agents on Christian homes.

They were found guilty in July 2017 by a judge who, according to CSW, is accused of “overseeing miscarriages of justice” and is subject to financial sanctions in the United Kingdom.

Their appeal hearing in December 2017 took place before Judge Hassan Babaee and Judge Ahmad Zargar, both of whom are alleged to have played prominent roles in the crackdown on freedom of expression in Iran.

CSW’s Chief Operating Officer Scott Bower said: “The national security charges levelled against these men were spurious, and…

The Independent MP for Sheffield Hallam used his maiden speech to tell of his “pride” in representing disabled people, as he said he was Parliament’s “very first autistic MP, as well as having cerebral palsy and other disabilities”.

And he spoke of what can be learned from the teachings of Jesus, saying he “forgave those who truly repented”.

Mr O’Mara was suspended as a Labour MP over sexist and homophobic comments before quitting the party, claiming he had been unfairly treated.

He told the Commons: “Mr Speaker, thank you – in fact, everybody thank you, you’ve all been terribly patient.

“I’m delighted today to finally be able to make my maiden speech as the MP for the constituency where I grew up, Sheffield Hallam.

“I was elected a year ago as Hallam’s first Labour MP but due to mistakes I made when I was young, and for which I am truly sorry have hurt a lot of people, I’ve been unable to speak in the House with confidence until now.”

Mr O’Mara’s maiden speech lasted for four minutes, and while MPs usually gather around their newly elected colleague for the occasion, he stood alone at the end of the rear opposition bench.

He delivered the speech during a general debate in which MPs can raise any matter they want ahead of the summer recess.

Mr O’Mara said it was “an honour” to have the chance to “represent our country’s disabled people in addition to serving my…

The Registration of Marriage Bill, led by the Dr Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, has proceeded to the House of Commons to be considered by MPs.

Bishop Alan said he hopes the House of Commons will correct “a clear and historic injustice”.

“As someone who has performed hundreds of marriages, it has always seemed shocking to me that mothers are systematically overlooked.

“This injustice dates to 1837 when children were viewed as a father’s property and little consideration was given to women. In this centenary year of women’s suffrage, it is time to make this long overdue change.

“I am pleased to have had the backing not only of Peers and many in the Church, but a huge number of others, including tens of thousands who have signed public petitions, campaigners for women’s equality, and even genealogists.”

The bill would also introduce electronic marriage registers.

According to the Church of England, this is the first time a Bishop’s Private Member’s Bill has proceeded to the House of Commons in more than 20 years.

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