‘Abuse claims were simply not believed’
JANNER: MORE EVIDENCE IS HEARD
YOUNGSTERS who reported sexual abuse were “simply not believed”, according to people in charge of children’s homes in Leicestershire in the 1970s and 1980s, the Greville Janner inquiry was told.
A number of former senior figures from Leicestershire County Council (LCC), which ran children’s homes in the city and county at the time, gave evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) yesterday.
It is investigating how public bodies handled sexual abuse allegations made against Lord Janner, who was accused of committing acts of abuse in children’s homes, schools, a flat in London and in Parliament over three decades.
Those allegations – some made by former children’s home residents – were never tested in a criminal court because of his death, aged 87, in December 2015. His family insists he is innocent of all allegations.
The hearing, parts of which are taking place in private session, has been asked to consider whether Lord Janner was treated preferentially because of his social and political status. At the end of each day, the team is releasing a summary of the evidence and submissions it has heard.
Tuesday’s first witness, a senior council official, gave evidence concerning Lord Janner’s “alleged access” to young residents in the authority’s children’s homes. The inquiry team said: “The witness confirmed there were no criminal records checks at that time and suggested any kind of vetting procedure or policy would not have made any difference in the case of Lord Janner, given the likelihood such checks would not have resulted in any issues being raised.
“The witness said the county council ‘certainly’ should have investigated the allegations against Lord Janner and the failure to do so ‘reflected a very different culture at the time in the way the council was run’.
The council “regretted not taking steps to investigate Lord Janner or to notify other child protection authorities which may have had contact with Lord Janner about the complaints”, the inquiry team summary said.
It added: “He also acknowledged there had been a failure to invoke disciplinary measures and to suspend staff against whom allegations of abuse had been made, stating that it was ‘symptomatic of the culture at the time’.”
The inquiry also heard from another former senior management figure at the county council. The inquiry team said: “The witness described the general response to allegations of child sexual abuse during the 1970s and early 1980s, acknowledging that children were simply not believed.”
He told the hearing: “It was very, very difficult for people who were not involved at the time to understand what the level of ignorance was... not only in the local authority, but even amongst the police and other agencies.
“He suggested there would have been ‘more caution’ about reporting a person of prominence and he recalled a comment between LCC officers that Lord Janner had ‘very powerful solicitors and he would not hesitate to employ them’.
“The witness said he ‘would have hoped’ that clear guidance concerning visitors to children’s homes would have been in place but ‘his extensive inquiries had not uncovered any such guidance’.”