Suspended abuse probe lawyer quits – along with his deputy
THE national inquiry into historic child sex abuse was described as ‘beyond parody’ yesterday as its two top lawyers left the probe.
A day after its leading counsel Ben Emmerson QC was suspended, he resigned.
Hours earlier, it emerged his junior and likely successor Elizabeth Prochaska had quit.
But last night the chairman Alexis Jay clung on to her position insisting there was no crisis.
Amid a clamour from MPs, victims’ groups and lawyers who said the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was a fiasco, her team said in a statement: ‘It has been said the inquiry is in crisis. This is simply not the case.’
It came hours after Prime Minister Theresa May announced she had full confidence in the inquiry – despite three successive chairmen quitting and the fact its principal lawyers are no longer in post.
Victims are said to be reeling at the departures from the £100million investigation, which is expected to drag on for a decade as it examines sex abuse claims at dozens of institutions over the past 60 years.
Andi Lavery, of Catholic survivors’ group White Flowers Alba, which represents 70 victims, said: ‘To say there is no crisis is delusional. We have serious concerns about ethicacy, integrity and getting justice in this inquiry and we are considering going to the courts for a judicial review of this inquiry.’ He added: ‘Ben Emmerson has been accused of bullying … these allegations against him are all rubbish. He was the one keeping this inquiry going.’
Phil Frampton, of the White Flowers campaign for sex abuse victims, said Mr Emmerson’s replacement had to have the ‘strength and steel’ to handle the investigation.
He added: ‘It is a job with enormous pressure. There are fortunes to be lost and reputations to be lost … The idea the inquiry should collapse because of this would only succumb to the likes of those in the Establishment who don’t want this inquiry because they are frightened of the effect it might have.’ On Wednesday Mr Emmerson learnt of his suspension – over concerns about his leadership – in a post on social media. There had been reports he was planning to quit following an apparent row with Professor Jay about reducing the scope of the inquiry.
But in his resignation letter, Mr Emmerson said there was ‘no truth in suggestions that I have resigned due to a difference of opinion’. He said he was sad to leave, but wished the inquiry ‘the best of luck’.
‘Whilst many commentators have challenged aspects of the inquiry’s work, no one can surely doubt the importance of its mission,’ he said.
He added that since early September, ‘it has become clear to me that I am not the person to take this review forward on your behalf’.
In a statement, Professor Jay said: ‘Mr Emmerson has stepped down at this time because he consid- ers … it is now time for someone else to take the role forward and provide leadership for the counsel team.’
‘There is no truth in suggestions he has resigned due to a difference of opinion with me about the next steps for the inquiry,’ she added.
Hours earlier, Mr Emmerson’s junior released a statement saying she had quit ‘with effect from September 15’, but refused to say why.
Former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald told the Mail: ‘It’s beyond parody. Elizabeth Prochaska is a very able young lawyer who has huge integrity.’
An inquiry spokesman said: ‘ We are currently reviewing our approach to our investigations so we can deliver results in a timely and effective way.’
Yesterday Mrs May stressed the original terms of reference ‘were the right ones’, adding that she is ‘very confident’ in the inquiry.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd’s spokesman said: ‘Our commitment to this inquiry is undiminished.’