Strange Case: False Accusations Drive Priest into Suicide

The English Anglicans expressed “deep regret and sorrow” over false allegations of child abuse against Father Alan Griffin, 76, who hanged himself in November 2020 at home.

According to the coroner, Griffin couldn’t cope with an investigation into his conduct, the detail of and the source for which he had never been told.

A former Anglican parson, Griffin had converted to the Church in 2012 and had become a Catholic priest for the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham when in 2019 the Anglican diocese of London started an investigation against him although it had received no complains and forwarded the claims to the Catholic Church.

They included allegations that Griffin had abused minors and copulated whilst HIV+ and believing himself to be an infection risk.

The coroner's report confirms that “Griffin was an HIV positive (viral load undetectable) gay priest” who attempted suicide in 2010 on learning of his HIV status.

However, she criticised the Church's procedures against Griffin saying that “there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.” As an unusual measure, the coroner put the Church of England under duty to respond to the report to prevent future deaths. A copy of the report was sent to a “partner of Father Griffin.”

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