A Church of England vicar who was banned from driving for two years after crashing the Bishop of Lincoln's car while three times over the legal alcohol limit has taken up a new curacy in London. Father Sion Hughes Carew is now preaching at St Michael and All Angels, a Grade II listed church in Chiswick, west London.
Fr Carew was given the nickname 'the Vicar of Tiddly' after the incident in October. He crashed the Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway's £48,000 Kia Sportage, rolling it backward into a garden wall and railings. Footage of the crash showed the vehicle stalling on a steep hill.
At his first mass in the new parish on August 9, Fr Carew thanked parishioners for their "loving welcome" and hospitality, noting outings to the opera, theatre, galleries, concerts, lunches, and a football match. "I just managed not to shout bravo as QPR scored a goal and we all at our end of the stands leapt to our feet," he said.
Some former parishioners from Lincoln expressed dismay at the appointment. One told the Daily Mail that the drink-driving matter "was not dealt with properly" and that Fr Carew "seems to have got off with that." The parishioner added, "He has just gone from one thing to another and not really had to face the consequences of what he has done." They also noted that parishioners were informed of his departure from Lincoln but not of his subsequent role.
A removals van was seen taking Fr Carew's belongings from his old vicarage in Lincoln to London on August 12. His profile in Crockford's Clerical Directory, a directory for clergy, has been updated to reflect his new position.
As a curate, Fr Carew will assist the senior vicar with sermons and home visits. This role is typically held by assistant clergy for two to three years before they move to their own churches. Unlike some church positions that include housing funded by church finances, Fr Carew is living with parishioners in Chiswick.
Fr Carew's appointment follows his birthday celebrations in October, where he drove the bishop's car. He was barefoot at the time of the crash, which occurred about half a mile from Lincoln Cathedral. The vehicle he hit, a Skoda Octavia, was owned by Brian Meagher, the partner of actress Heather Bell. The Skoda was declared a total loss.
A letter dated August 4 from the acting Bishop of Lincoln, Nicholas Chamberlain, announced Fr Carew's departure from his previous role, stating, "We pray for the next steps of Fr Sion's journey – that God may hold and lead him."
When approached for comment, Fr Carew stated he had no remarks regarding his new appointment. A spokesperson for the Diocese of London confirmed that the appointment followed careful consideration. "Following the penalty, he received earlier in the year from the Church of England, alongside the court's fine and two-year driving ban, The Revd Sion Hughes Carew is able to minister again in the Church of England," the spokesperson said. The diocese added that safer recruitment processes, including employment checks and references, were completed, and that additional training and support are in place.
Bishop Conway has since been suspended from his duties following a police investigation into an allegation of sexual assault.