Bishop of Lincoln arrested on allegation of sexual assault

Stephen Conway has been suspended from duties

Stephen Conway has been the Bishop of Lincoln since May 2023 (Church of England )

The Bishop of Lincoln has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault. Lincolnshire Police said that a 68-year-old man was arrested as part of an “ongoing investigation following an allegation that a man was sexually assaulted between 2018 and 2025”.

The Rt Rev Stephen Conway has been released on conditional bail. Earlier, the Diocese of Lincoln confirmed that the Bishop had been suspended from his duties.

It said in a statement: “The Bishop of Lincoln, the Right Rev Stephen Conway, has been suspended from ministry while a complaint made to the National Safeguarding Team is responded to according to House of Bishops Code of Practice. This includes referral to the appropriate statutory authorities.”

The Diocese did not give any details of the complaint. The Bishop of Grantham, the Rt Rev Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, would take over diocesan duties during the suspension, the statement said.

The Diocese added: “Support is in place for those affected and there will be no further comment while the process is ongoing. We understand that this will be a deeply unsettling time. The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is available for anyone who wishes to contact them.”

Rt Rev Conway was installed as Bishop of Lincoln in 2023, having previously served as Bishop of Ramsbury and Bishop of Ely. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2014.