Janner sex abuse claims: Inquiry is put back to 2020
COUNTY FORCE AND COUNCIL BEING INVESTIGATED OVER HANDLING OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST LABOUR PEER
THE public hearing into child sexual abuse allegations against former Leicester MP Greville Janner has been pushed back to 2020 to allow “new lines of inquiry” to be explored.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has set aside three weeks in February 2020 to examine public bodies’ historical handling of the multiple allegations against the late Labour MP and peer.
It says the hearing has been scheduled to allow the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to complete its own inquiry into the role of Leicestershire Police in the investigation of the late politician’s alleged crimes against boys, many of whom were living in children’s homes at the time.
The alleged victims had hoped the IICSA hearing would take place in early or in the middle of next year.
The IOPC, formerly the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said yesterday its investigation was taking longer than originally envisioned because of the emergence of new “lines of inquiry”.
It could not give a date when it expects its work to conclude and allow the IICSA hearing to begin.
That will enable up to 33 men to give their accounts of alleged abuse by Janner.
He was accused of 22 sexual offences against boys between 1963 and 1988 but died shortly before Christmas 2015, aged 87.
His death ended the prospect of his alleged victims’ evidence ever being tested in a criminal court.
His family insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing.
Three chances to put the politician on trial for child abuse were missed because of mistakes by the police or prosecutors, a retired High Court judge ruled in the weeks after his death.
Sir Richard Henriques said in January 2016 that the former Leicester MP should have been charged with offences against boys in 1991, 2002 and 2007.
The cases did not proceed because of the “inadequacy” of police investigations or decisions by senior prosecutors, Sir Richard reported.
A fourth Leicestershire Police inquiry – Operation Enamel – would have led to charges had the Labour politician not become severely ill with dementia and being deemed unfit to stand trial in late 2015.
The IOPC is investigating the conduct of officers who were with the force at the times of those investigations.
The IICSA was asked to look at whether efforts to try the former Labour MP for Leicester West for alleged child abuse when he was alive and well were “hindered or prevented” by public authorities.
Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire County Council and the Labour Party are to be questioned about their knowledge and handling of the allegations. John Gater, one of the alleged victims – who has waived his right to anonymity – said: “It is disappointing the hearing has been put back so far into the future. “We were all under the impression the hearing would take place in 2019 and I had to do a double-take when I read that it was going to be in 2020. I want closure and to be able to move on with my life.”
An IICSA spokeswoman said: “The IOPC is currently investigating Leicestershire Police’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse by the late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC.
“As per the chair’s determination of April 11, 2017, to minimise duplication of work and ensure the public hearing will not contaminate evidence relevant to any criminal proceedings, the inquiry has set aside a window for this investigation hearing at a later date.”
It is disappointing the hearing has been put back so far into the future... I want closure
Alleged victim John Gater