Former top lawyer on the beleaguered child abuse inquiry is CLEARED of sex assault claims that prompted him to resign

By Tim Sculthorpe
Daily Mail
December 14, 2016

https://goo.gl/DBPJp4

Ben Emmerson, a senior QC, was suspended from his job on the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse over the claims and subsequently quit his post as senior counsel

Professor Alexis Jay (file picture) is the current IICSA chairwoman. The inquiry has been rocked by resignations and delays

Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured leaving No 10 today) has been forced to repeatedly express confidence in the troubled IICSA inquiry, which she created as Home Secretary

The former top lawyer at the struggling child abuse inquiry has been cleared of allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

Ben Emmerson, a senior QC, was suspended from his job on the inquiry because of concerns over his leadership. He subsequently quit his post as senior counsel before the claims emerged about the alleged incident, which happened weeks before he left.

His chambers, Matrix, set up an independent inquiry to look at the claims reported on BBC Newsnight about an alleged sexual assault in a lift.

A formal complaint was not made by the woman involved.

The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) has not commented on Mr Emmerson's departure beyond an initial statement raising concerns about 'aspects of Mr Emmerson's leadership'.

The Matrix inquiry was led by the former director of public prosecutions Sir David Calvert-Smith.

Matrix said today: 'After examining the evidence, Sir David submitted his final report to the management committee earlier this week.

'In his report, Sir David concluded ''without hesitation'' that Mr Emmerson had not committed any act of sexual assault or sexual harassment.'

 Mr Emmerson said: 'This has been a difficult period and I am naturally pleased that an independent senior judge has now confirmed the allegations against me were always unfounded.

'I hope that the inquiry can now be left to get on with its important work, free from unnecessary distractions.'

Mr Emmerson resigned from the inquiry after the allegation emerged but had reportedly planned to go before the claim was made.  

Prime Minister Theresa May has been forced to repeatedly express confidence in the troubled IICSA inquiry, which she created as Home Secretary.

The £100million probe is now on its fourth chairwoman and is yet to hear a single day of public evidence.

A succession of lawyers have quit the struggling probe, which is expected to run until at least 2020 as it investigates hundreds of allegations of historical abuse.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions last month, Mrs May said: 'We owe it to the survivors and victims for the inquiry to continue and I have to say – having seen the work that Professor Alexis Jay has done in the Rotherham inquiry that she undertook – I have absolute confidence in her ability to undertake this inquiry.'