The decision reinstates Mr Coekin to his role as a minister in the diocese of Southwark, in collaboration with its Bishop and in partnership with its clergy.

The appeal was heard on the Archbishop's behalf by the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Revd Michael Scott-Joynt. The report found that although Mr Coekin was, by his own admission, acting outside the authority of the diocesan bishop in facilitating 'irregular' ordinations (ordinations by a bishop from a church in South Africa with which the Church of England is not 'in communion'), the summary procedure followed by the Bishop of Southwark was technically flawed.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has accepted the Bishop of Winchester's conclusions and has encouraged the parties to put this episode behind them. He said: 'My hope and expectation for the diocese of Southwark and for the ministry of Dundonald church and its minister, the Revd Richard Coekin, is that they will now all be able to draw a line under the episode examined so thoroughly in the bishop's report, and commit themselves to renewed collaboration in the mission of Christ in the months and years ahead'.

The full report and Archbishop's determination are available on request.