Leading QC put in charge of FA’s child abuse inquiry

CLIVE SHELDON, a leading QC, has been appointed by the Football Association to chair its inquiry into allegations of historical child sexual abuse in football.

The FA said that Mr Sheldon, who became a Queen’s Counsel in April 2011, was an expert in administrative and public law.

The governing body noted he had “carried out a number of investigatory reviews in recent years, which have included child protection and safeguarding matters”.

Appointing Mr Sheldon on Tuesday, the FA confirmed there view would start immediately, but could not say how long it would take.

Dozens of former footballers have come forward with allegations that they were sexually abused when they were youth players. At least 55 amateur and professional football clubs have been linked to the allegations.

Mr Sheldon is a member of New North London synagogue in Finchley, and has chaired the New Israel Fund UK’s social action group for the past two years. In an interview with the JC last month, it was said he “has never turned down a case”.

Despite being a member of the Labour Party, Mr Sheldon has represented the government in a series of high-profile cases, including a dispute over junior doctors’ contracts and the so-called “bedroom tax”.

He also successfully defended Labour’s National Executive Committee in the summer over its rules on eligibility to vote in leadership elections.

“There have been lots of cases I’ve worked on that have made me uncomfortable,” Mr Sheldon told the JC.

“I get more job satisfaction representing the little person but I believe everyone has the right to representation. It’s not for me to decide who’s right or wrong — it’s for me to present the arguments and a judge to decide.”

‘Lots of cases made me uncomfortable. I get more satisfaction representing the little person’ Clive Sheldon