Prince Charles has been criticised for his “misguided” friendship with a paedophile bishop which could have “influenced” how the Church’s handled abuse allegations.

The official child sex abuse inquiry yesterday published its damning investigation into disgraced bishop Peter Ball. It revealed how he “seemed to relish contact with prominent and influential people” and particularly sought to use his friendship with the Prince of Wales “to further his campaign to return to unrestricted ministry” after he received a police caution in 1992.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report investigated the Diocese of Chichester - where Ball and several other convicted paedophile priests once officiated - and the response to allegations against Ball himself.

In 2015 Ball, 87, was convicted of sexual offences against 17 teenagers and young men - one of whom took his own life. He was released from prison in February 2017 after serving half of his 32-month sentence.