Cardinal denies claims he covered up abuse allegation against Tolkien's son

Note recording complaint about Father John Tolkien was given to police, cardinal argues

Simon Murphy
Thu 13 Dec 2018 21.35 GMT

The country’s most senior Catholic clergyman has denied allegations he covered up a complaint of child abuse against one of JRR Tolkien’s sons.

Despite defending his actions, Cardinal Vincent Nichols conceded he had been wrong not to reveal to Father John Tolkien’s alleged victims that the church had made a note of a complaint in 1968 that the priest had ordered boy scouts to strip naked.

Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster, argued the note had not been hidden as it was made available to police, even though it was not disclosed to claimants.

Giving evidence to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse on Thursday, after he pulled out of a session last month because of illness, he also revealed he was lobbied by lawyers acting on behalf of Tolkien’s family who did not want the church to accept liability or reach a settlement.

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