Officers investigate Janner complaint

A historic abuse complaint against former Labour peer Lord Janner is being investigated by police in Scotland.

The investigation relates to claims Lord Janner took a boy north of the border in the 1970s and sexually assaulted him.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lesley Boal said: “Police Scotland is conducting an investigation into an historic complaint and, as such, it would be inappropriate to comment.

“Police Scotland is absolutely committed to preventing all forms of child abuse and to keeping children safe, while bringing perpetrators of abuse to justice, regardless of the passage of time.”

The Daily Mail said the alleged victim made a report at a police station in Edinburgh in 1991.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “We have not received a report in relation to this matter.”

Last month the Crown Prosecution Service – covering England and Wales – said it would review its decision not to charge Lord Janner over allegations of historic child sex abuse.

He was accused of a string of offences from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but was deemed unfit to stand trial because he is suffering from dementia.

Justice Lowell Goddard, the New Zealand judge leading an independent inquiry into child sex abuse, said she would investigate claims against Lord Janner and could even call him to give evidence.

He has denied the previous allegations against him.

The peer – who has been on a formal leave of absence from the upper house since October – was a Labour MP for 27 years from 1970, representing the same Leicester seat held for the party by his father for the previous two decades. He will remain a member of the House of Lords until his death or until he formally retires, under reforms passed last year.

Lord Janner was deemed unfit to stand trial.