The Survivors Trust welcomes the announcement by Justice Goddard that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will conduct a full investigation into the institutions and the decision making processes that ended in failure to prosecute Lord Greville Janner, despite credible evidence from numerous victims. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, has already stated that that there is sufficient evidence on which to charge Lord Janner with 22 sexual offences involving nine complainants and that three clear opportunities to prosecute him were missed either by the police or the CPS in 1991, 2002 and 2007.

Fay Maxted, CEO, says:

“Survivors are already concerned that the Inquiry will struggle to investigate powerful establishment institutions and individuals and the decision by the DPP not to prosecute Lord Janner, despite evidence from nine survivors, has only fuelled these concerns.  Therefore, the announcement made by Justice Goddard today that the Inquiry will investigate all the institutions involved including the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service, care homes and Leicestershire Police, is a welcome breath of fresh air.  Crucially, Justice Goddard says that if the evidence permits findings of fact to be reached concerning the abuse, then the Inquiry will publish these findings.

“This is the only credible response from the Independent Inquiry and Justice Goddard to a situation which appears to exemplify all of the issues and problems associated with institutional failures to respond to abused children: powerful establishment figures, positions of power and influence, ongoing failure by relevant statutory authorities to take effective action and absence of justice for survivors.   This is exactly why the Independent Inquiry is needed.”