An Anglican priest who was sacked from his ministry 15 years ago has had his licence to serve in Bermuda restored by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Carl Williams made headlines in 2008 after he was dismissed as parish priest at St Anne's Anglican Church in Southampton. He was fired after a row with parishioners over the priest’s “autocratic management style” just over a year after he was appointed.

Mr Williams later moved to Trinidad, but returned to Bermuda in 2017. His unexplained departure from the Caribbean island was not without controversy — news outlets reported on speculation that he was forced out because of “certain allegations”, which the Anglican Bishop of Trinidad denied.

A statement from the Anglican Church of Bermuda confirmed that Mr Williams had his licence to serve as priest on the island restored last week.

The statement added that Mr Williams “will from henceforth be restored as a member of the House of Clergy of the Synod of the Anglican Church”.

“He is available to preach the Word of God, to administer the holy sacraments, and generally to exercise his priestly ministry in the life and ministry of the Anglican Church of Bermuda as occasion may require and be accorded all the rights and privileges which the holder of such licence normally enjoys.”

The statement added that the Right Reverend Nicholas Dill, the Bishop of Bermuda, had wished God’s blessing on Mr Williams.

The statement said: “It is hoped that together they may reflect the reconciling love of God and bring glory to him in his world, remaining faithful to the charge he has placed upon us and to the calling of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed afresh to every generation.”