New child sex abuse inquiry crisis as two lawyers announce their resignations in one day

UNITED KINGDOM
Telegraph

Robert Mendick, chief reporter, and Tom Morgan
29 SEPTEMBER 2016

The future of the national child sex abuse inquiry was plunged deeper into crisis on Thursday night after the two most senior lawyers in charge announced their resignations.

Ben Emmerson QC, the counsel to the inquiry, quit at 10pm last night, a little over 24 hours after being suspended from the role.

Mr Emmerson’s deputy Elizabeth Prochaska, the inquiry’s junior counsel, announced she had also stood down although it was claimed her decision was not linked to recent events.

In his resignation letter, Mr Emmerson insisted his decision to resign was not caused by a “difference of opinion” with Alexis Jay, the new chairman of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

Mr Emmerson added: “It is now time for someone else to take the helm with a different leadership of the Counsel team.”

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