Another blow as sex abuse inquiry suspends its ‘arrogant’ QC

Officials deny claims that legal expert clashed with fourth chairman over scope of investigation

THE senior lawyer to the national child abuse inquiry was suspended from his £400,000-a-year post last night, plunging the investigation into its worst crisis yet.

Ben Emmerson QC was removed over concerns about his leadership, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said in a statement.

He had earlier been reported to be on the verge of resigning as counsel to the inquiry following an alleged clash with its new chairman, Professor Alexis Jay. Insiders loyal to Prof Jay had described Mr Emmerson as “arrogant” ahead of the announcement.

In its statement, IICSA said: “The inquiry has recently become very concerned about aspects of Mr Emmerson’s leadership of the counsel team. He has, therefore, been suspended from duty so that these can be properly investigated.

“Suggestions in the press that Mr Emmerson was considering resigning after raising disagreements over the future direction of the inquiry are untrue. They are not a matter on which he has advised the chair or panel.”

Mr Emmerson was understood to have emailed his team to explain that he was “actively considering” his position unless the scope of the inquiry was streamlined. Prof Jay, backed by Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, has insisted it stick to its terms of reference.

A source said it was not for Mr Emmerson to set the course of the inquiry, in terms that cannot be repeated in a family newspaper.

The inquiry has already been plagued by delays and the resignations of three previous chairmen.

Gabrielle Shaw, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: “This will be very distressing to many survivors.”

The inquiry will have to find a new senior lawyer who can familiarise him or herself with the millions of submitted documents. As its counsel, Mr Emmerson was paid £1,700 a day and worked 240 days in the financial year 2015-16, adding up to £408,000. His role is to guide the panel through the evidence, including cross-examining witnesses. IICSA has yet to hold an evidence session and is not due to begin until spring at the earliest. Lawyers believe the inquiry could last at least a decade and cost £100 million.

Mr Emmerson’s suspension follows the resignation of Dame Lowell Goddard, a New Zealand high court judge, who – like Mr Emmerson – was hired by Theresa May when she was home secretary. Dame Lowell’s predecessors, Baroness Butler-Sloss and Dame Fiona Woolf, both quit after outcries over alleged conflicts of interest.

The inquiry is looking at institutional abuse in the Church of England, the Catholic Church and children’s homes in Lambeth, among others. A spokesman for Mr Emmerson said yesterday: “Ben has declined to comment at this time.”