Kiwi judged picked for major UK inquiry

By Jessica Mutch
TVNZ
February 05, 2015

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/kiwi-judged-picked-major-uk-inquiry-6228294

A high powered New Zealand judge has been named to lead a controversial inquiry into historic child sex abuse in England and Wales.

Justice Lowell Goddard has been named to head the investigation and Home Secretary Theresa May told the British Parliament she has a “wealth of expertise”.

Justice Goddard is the third choice. The other two candidates quit because of perceived conflicts of interest so the British government turned to the Commonwealth for someone who is “removed” from those being investigated. There were 150 nominations for the position.

Theresa May says: “Justice Goddard is a judge of the high court of New Zealand and is a highly respected member of the judiciary who has been at the forefront of criminal law and procedure. As chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Association of New Zealand she conducted an inquiry into the policing of child abuse in New Zealand and she is also a member of the United Nations sub committee on prevention of torture. She will bring a wealth of expertise to the role of chair and crucially she will be as removed as possible from the organisations and institutions that might become the focus of the inquiry.”

The inquiry was set up July after claims of paedophiles operating in Westminster in the 1980s. It will investigate whether "public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse in England and Wales”.

Theresa May says “with every passing day, with every new revelation it is clear that the sexual abuse of children has taken place and is still taking place on a scale that we still can not fully comprehend”.