‘Fiasco’ as child abuse probe loses 2nd lawyer in two days

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 after it emerged his junior and likely successor Elizabeth Prochaska had also quit.

But 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: ‘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 chair-

‘It’s beyond parody’

men quitting and the fact its principal lawyers, whom she appointed, are no longer in post.

Victims are said to be reeling at the series of departures from the £100million investigation, which is examining claims of sex abuse at dozens of institutions over the past 60 years.

Andi Lavery, of Catholic survivors’ group White Flowers Alba, which represents 70 victims, said: ‘It’s like something out of the Wild West. Who will be taken out next? To say there is no crisis is delusional.’

On Wednesday, Mr Emmerson learnt of his suspension – over concerns about his leadership – in a post on social media. And last night it was announced that he had resigned.

His junior had announced she had quit ‘with effect from September 15’ after 15 months, but refused to say why.

Former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald told the Mail: ‘It’s beyond parody.’

Yesterday Mrs May said she was ‘very confident’ in the inquiry.