Lord Janner's family announced legal bid to have him kept out of child sex inquiry just hours before controversial chief quit

By Amie Gordon
Daily Mail
August 7, 2016

http://goo.gl/i4t0yn

Daniel Janner QC (right), the son of Lord Janner who died amid allegations of paedophilia, had planned to take Dame Lowell Goddard (right) to court

Lord Janner, who died aged 87 in December, is alleged to have abused children over a period spanning more than 30 years and dating back to the 1950s

Lord Greville Janner's family have announced they intend to launch legal action to have him removed from the Government's child sex abuse inquiry.

Daniel Janner QC, the son of the Labour peer who died amid allegations of paedophilia, criticised the 'disarray' of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse following the resignation of its third chairwoman, Dame Lowell Goddard.

He described the allegations against his late father as 'obscene', adding a 'dead and innocent man' could not defend himself.

This comes as another setback to the £100 million Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, after its chair Dame Lowell Goddard left her post on Thursday - hours after Mr Janner had sent an email detailing his plans to take her to court.

Lord Janner, who died aged 87 in December, is alleged to have abused children over a period spanning more than 30 years and dating back to the 1950s.

In March a preliminary hearing was told the late politician had allegedly arranged for victims 'in whom he had a sexual interest' to be brought to the Houses of Parliament.

Some of his accusers have started civil proceedings to sue his estate, according to his son.

It was revealed by The Mail on Sunday today that Dame Lowell did not leave her post voluntarily, as initially reported, but was effectively fired.

According to two well-placed legal sources, Dame Lowell, appointed by then-Home Secretary Theresa May just over a year ago, had lost the confidence of senior staff and members of the inquiry panel.

Speaking earlier this week, Daniel Janner said: 'I was about to demand Justice Goddard's resignation as she had refused my application last week to adjourn the inquiry pending the civil proceedings.

'The obscenity of a proxy prosecution against a dead and innocent man who cannot defend himself must stop.

'This is a manifestation of a national frenzy. 

'My late father is not an institution and Goddard was set up to look at institutional failings.

'We are not even given the right to cross-exam in the Goddard inquiry which is why we refused to participate.

'We now seek justice in the civil proceedings.'

He told The Telegraph: 'We are considering a judicial review to get my father's strand of the inquiry removed.'

The family have also accused Dame Lowell of wrongly picking out their father for investigation, and highlighted the fact Lord Janner was not convicted of any offence.