‘Janner child abuse claims were ignored for years’
TO PROSECUTE EX-LEICESTER MP, INQUIRY IS TOLD
CHILDREN who claimed to have been sexually abused by former politician Greville Janner were ignored for years because they were “poor” care home kids up against a “culture of deference” for powerful people, an official inquiry heard.
Lawyers acting for alleged victims, most of them former children’s home residents, said chances to prosecute the former Leicester MP and later member of the House of Lords years before his death were missed at least in part because of his social status.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is investigating how public bodies handled the allegations against Lord Janner, who is said to have committed acts of abuse in children’s homes, schools, a flat in London and in Parliament itself.
The inquiry is seeking to establish whether the senior Labour politician received “preferential treatment” when the allegations were made.
Following his death in December 2015, an official report by a retired High Court judge concluded that three chances – in 1991, 2002 and 2007 – to put the former Leicester West MP on trial for child abuse were missed because of mistakes by the police or prosecutors.
Legal teams acting for each of the participants, including alleged victims, gave opening statements to the hearing yesterday.
William Chapman, legal representative for 12 complainants, told the hearing: “If Lord Janner had simply been Mr Joe Bloggs he would have been prosecuted sooner.
“The energy and resources that went into prosecuting other abusers could and should have been directed at him as well.
“Someone somewhere had their thumb on the scales of justice.”
Fellow lawyer Christopher Jacobs gave details of several of his clients’ allegations.
One was placed in a children’s home and was sexually abused by its manager, Frank Beck, and later by Greville Janner, he said.
Beck was later imprisoned for abusing children and died in prison.
Another complainant was told nobody would believe him because he was “just a brat in care”, he said.
Lord Janner was accused of multiple 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 insist he is innocent of all allegations.
The hearing, parts of which are taking place in private session to protect alleged victims’ names, is expected to sit for three weeks.