A SENIOR Church of England Bishop has been questioned by police over historic sex abuse allegations dating back to his time in Croydon.
The Right Reverend Michael Perham, until last week The Bishop of Gloucester, was quizzed on Tuesday about claims he abused a girl under 18 and a woman.
At the time of the alleged incidents, in 1980 and 1981, the Bishop was curate at St Mary's Church, in Addington - his first full-time post.
The married father of four was questioned by officers just days after he stood down from his Gloucester post, citing "personal reasons".
The investigation is being run by the Metropolitan Police Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command.
A Met spokesman said on Tuesday: "A 66-year-old man attended a police station in Gloucestershire by appointment and was interviewed on suspicion of indecent assault of a child aged under 18 and indecent assault of a second female aged over 18.
"He was not arrested. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between 1980 and 1981. Inquiries continue."
A spokesman for the Diocese in Gloucester said: "This is a police matter. We have no further comment to make at this point."
The Dorchester-born clergyman, who was educated at Oxford, spent five years in Croydon from 1976 until 1981.
He then moved to become chaplain at Winchester Cathedral, prior to taking up positions in Poole and Derby.
The high ranking churchman, one of 26 sitting in the House of Lords, was also secretary to the Church of England Doctrine Commission from 1979 to 1984.
He is married to Dr Alison Grove, a palliative care consultant, and the couple have four grown up daughters.
The Bishop is known within the Church of England as a vocal supporter of gay marriage and female clergy.
In May, on the subject of homosexuality, he wrote: "We need to listen very carefully to the beliefs and opinions that come out of a profound change of attitudes in our society to gender, sexuality and marriage.
"We need to listen very carefully to the experience of gay and lesbian people, both those who are celibate and those who are in sexual relationships, including gay and lesbian clergy.
"We need to listen, in some cases, to their pain, and we need also to listen to their sense of joy, love and blessing in a faithful partnership."
