‘Greville Janner invited me to sauna’

A JEWISH historian gave evidence to police investigating allegations of sexual abuse against the late Lord Janner, it has emerged.

Gavin Littaur, a 66-year-old postal expert, was questioned by Leicestershire Police about a brief encounter he had with Greville Janner during the 1970s.

Mr Littaur wrote to the after reading an interview with Lord Janner’s son, Daniel Janner QC, who suggested that the case against his father was backed by people who are “driven by claiming compensation”.

When Lord Janner died last December, aged 87, he was facing a criminal hearing, accused of 22 charges involving 13 complainants between 1963 and 1988. A growing number of them have launched civil cases seeking damages from his £2 million estate.

While Mr Littaur, from Hendon, north-west London, does not claim to have been abused by Lord Janner, he recalled being propositioned by him during his early twenties. The politi- cian was a close friend of Mr Littaur’s parents and had been invited to the family home for dinner.

Mr Littaur said: “He was very charming, articulate and clever. While my parents cleared up, they said ‘go and look after Greville in the lounge’.

“He was asking me about my life and what I did. I was asking him about the Jewish community and the law. We were chatting away and he seemed pleasant and talkative. But then very smoothly — as smooth as silk — he said ‘would you like to come back to join me for a sauna?’”

Mr Littaur, who is heterosexual, unequivocally rejected the offer and immediately excused himself. When he told his parents, his mother was “very jumpy”, but his father “was faintly amused”.

While nothing further occurred, Mr Littaur said he had “absolutely no question” about the “improper and inappropriate suggestion” which left him feeling “imposed upon”.

The two men never crossed paths again.

But Mr Littaur contacted police last year when he read about the accusations against Lord Janner.

“I believe bad things happen when good people stay silent, so on balance I thought it right to approach the police. I thought it was so long ago and they would think nothing of it.”

Their response, however, surprised him. Two officers travelled from Leicester to spend two hours interviewing Mr Littaur.

They said his story “tied in” with the accounts of others. He has had no further involvement with the inquiry, but contacted the after reading Mr Janner’s comments about those claiming to have been abused.

Mr Littaur: “I don’t like aspersions cast on myself and possibly other people and I thought I should speak up.

“I have no agenda and no axe to grind — I just want the truth to come out, whatever the truth is.”

Lord Janner’s family have repeatedly denied he was engaged in any wrongdoing.

I thought it was right for me to approach the police’