NEW ZEALAND
TVNZ
By Jessica Mutch
Published: 3:52AM Thursday February 05, 2015
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.”
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