The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich has called for “radical change” following a report which documented a cover-up of child abuse within the Church of England.

The Right Reverend Martin Seeley was once referenced in the report on John Smyth QC’s abuse of more than 100 children and young men.

Bishop Seeley denied any wrongdoing and described Smyth’s offending as “appalling”.

In a digital newsletter sent to churchgoers, Bishop Seeley said the church “obviously needs to deeply repent and learn” from “failures to protect”.

“The Archbishop has accepted responsibility for the safeguarding failures and is deeply sorry for the appalling abuse committed by John Smyth,” Bishop Seeley said.

“No words can undo the damage done to people’s lives both by John Smyth and by the failures of individuals in the Church and other institutions.”

The report included an account by Pastor Rico Tice – that Bishop Seeley had asked about Smyth in an interview for the ministry’s discernment process.

The report noted that the Suffolk bishop had no recollection of asking the question.

In his latest statement, he also pointed out that the discernment process was a series of one-on-one interviews with four different panel members over three days, governed by strict reporting protocols.

Bishop Seeley pointed out that he had served as selection secretary for five years and attended about 40 selection conferences and would have used the same questions for each candidate.

He said: “I remember this selection conference and I’m sure I would have remembered if I had been asked to deviate from the normal questions.

“I am also sure that I would have reported any information I received about a safeguarding issue.

“I stand by every detail of what I said in the report that I have no recollection whatsoever of this, of asking such a question or being asked to ask such a question.

“I am truly appalled by the abuse committed by Smyth against young Christians and I support calls for the continued development of robust safeguarding processes.”