UNITED KINGDOM
Daily Mail
By REBECCA CAMBER, CRIME CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DAILY MAIL
The troubled child abuse inquiry was in ‘meltdown’ last night amid claims it covered up an alleged sex attack by its top lawyer.
Ben Emmerson QC denied sensational claims he groped a colleague and was allowed to quit 24 hours after being suspended.
An inquiry spokesman refuted that a worker had made a complaint of sexual assault at all.
And Mr Emmerson’s lawyers issued a furious rebuttal, saying: ‘[He] categorically denies any allegation of sexual assault or bullying or any other misconduct at the inquiry. Any such allegations are completely false.’
The bombshell allegation reported by BBC Newsnight threatened to deal the £100million Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse a fatal blow.
It was alleged that the lawyer pushed a female workmate against the side of a lift and molested her at the inquiry headquarters in Millbank Tower last month.
According to Newsnight, the alleged victim gave an account of the assault and the inquiry’s chairman Professor Alexis Jay and her panel were made aware the same day.
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