A survivor of child abuser John Smyth has called on Archbishop Justin Welby to resign, accusing him of putting the reputation of the Church of England ahead of victims.

Andrew Morse, 63, was abused by Smyth as a teenager and twice tried to take his own life as a result.

A report found that Smyth’s crimes may have been exposed in 2013 if the Archbishop had assured police investigated the concerns.

Talking to telegraphMr Morse said: “I think he feels he has put his church’s position and reputation ahead of the plight of the victims and, because Smyth was still alive at the time, over other potential victims.”

Mr Morse added: “Yes, I think he should resign.

“He knew in 2013, he knew the set-up, the pool of victims and where we were cared for, all the way back to the 1980s.”

Smyth, who died aged 77 in Cape Town in 2018 while being investigated by Hampshire police, is said to have subjected up to 130 victims to “horrendous” sexual abuse.

Andrew Morse, 63, (pictured) was abused by John Smyth as a teenager and twice tried to take his own life as a result

The Archbishop of Canterbury (pictured) has admitted he has “failed personally” after an independent review found John Smyth’s “abhorrent” abuse of more than 100 children and young people was covered up in the Church for years.

John Smyth (pictured) died aged 77 in Cape Town in 2018 while being investigated by Hampshire police

Mr Morse claimed the Archbishop’s failure to take action in 2013 was a “dereliction of duty” and a betrayal of victims.

The CofE had known “at the highest level” since July 2013 about the abuse the solicitor and lay reader committed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Mr Welby was singled out for failing to report Smyth’s abuse to the police.

A petition organized by members of the General Synod – the church’s parliament – gathered thousands of signatures calling for the cleric to step down because of his “failures” to alert the authorities.

Mr Welby was today accused by a high-profile vicar of “losing the confidence of the clergy”, while a bishop asked him to stand down to avoid the Church “losing its full credibility” in safeguarding.

The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, told the BBC: “I think it’s very difficult for the church, as a national, established church, to continue to have a moral voice in any way, shape or form in our nation when we don’t we can put our own house in order about something equally important, something that would be required of any institution – let alone the church, which is meant to have the gospel of Jesus Christ seek out the most vulnerable in our midst.

“We are in danger of losing complete credibility on this front.”

Of Mr Welby, she said: “I think, unfortunately, his position is untenable, so I think he should resign.”

She said that while his resignation “will not solve the problem”, it would be “a very clear indication that a line has been drawn and that we have to move towards the independence of the safeguard”.

Mr Welby, speaking to Channel Four when the report was published, said he had resigned “a lot of thought actually for a long time”.

But he added: “I’ve given (resigning) a lot of thought and I’ve had advice just this morning from senior colleagues and, no, I’m not going to resign.”

After the petition was launched, Mr Welby said he “reiterates his horror at the extent of John Smyth’s flagrant abuse as reflected in his public apology”, reiterated that he had no intention of resigning and said he “hopes the Makin Review will support ongoing work’. to build a safer church here and around the world.”