Child abuse inquiry plunged into further controversy after top lawyer suspended

THE CHILD abuse inquiry was plunged further into controversy yesterday after the most senior lawyer working for the probe was suspended.

Ben Emmerson QC was told he should not continue his work as matters needed to be “properly investigated”.

The inquiry, which was set up in 2014 to examine whether public bodies including the police have failed in their duty to protect children from sexual abuse, has come under fire in recent months.

A spokesperson for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse said: “The Inquiry has recently become very concerned about aspects of Mr Emmerson’s leadership of the counsel team.

“He has therefore been suspended from duty so that these can be properly investigated.”

It was reported Mr Emmerson, who was appointed the lead lawyer by Theresa May, was planning to quit after a row over the unmanageable scale of the proceedings.

But a spokesman said: “Suggestions in the press that Mr Emmerson was considering resigning after raising disagreements over the future direction of the inquiry are untrue.

“They are not a matter on which he has advised the chair of the inquiry or the panel.”

After this news broke, victims’ groups said they would withdraw if the counsel to the hearing resigned.

Despite Mr Emmerson’s concerns, chairwoman Alexis Jay said earlier this month the inquiry’s scale and scope were a “substantial challenge”.

She insisted she has no intention of asking Home Secretary Amber Rudd to “revise or reduce our terms of reference”.

Andi Lavery, of Catholic survivors’ group White Flowers Alba, which represents 70 victims, said: “This can’t carry on without him.

“It has only existed because of Ben Emmerson.

“He has been the glue holding everything together.

“If he leaves, the victims’ groups will leave.

“Most have lost confidence already.

“This inquiry has been a sham, a charade.

“Theresa May made a lot of promises, she has not kept one of them.”