Met missed chances to prosecute Janner

An independent inquiry reveals that three chances were missed by the UK police to prosecute late peer Lord Janner over sex abuse claims.

 the inquiry, commissioned by the director of public prosecutions, found that police and prosecutors missed opportunities to charge Lord Janner in 1991, 2002 and 2007.

The ex-Labour MP was accused of 22 counts of sex offences against boys between the 1960s and 80s. His family denies the allegations.

 Now the inquiry has found the decision adopted at 1991 not to charge Lord Janner was "wrong" as there was enough evidence against him to provide "a realistic prospect of conviction" for indecent assault and one other serious sexual offence.

 Meanwhile, more than a decade later, in 2002, allegations against Lord Janner were not supplied by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service, and as a result no prosecution was possible.

According to the inquiry, in 2007 Lord Janner should have been arrested and his home searched, because there was "sufficient evidence to prosecute" for indecent assault and one other serious sexual offence, the inquiry also concluded.

Last week’s decision of the prosecutors to drop the sex-crimes prosecution against Janner sparked harsh reactions of his victims.

Greville Janner, who died last year before court proceedings could begin was a former Labour Party lawmaker and peer.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam told a judge that before Janner died, prosecutors had applied to introduce more charges. “The law makes no provision for posthumous proceedings so the prosecution is now over,” he said.

Lawyer for six of Janner's alleged victims, Liz Dux said her clients were "devastated."

"They understand the reasons why but that doesn't make up for the real travesty — that many gave their statements decades ago and have been denied justice through a failure to prosecute earlier when Janner was alive and well," she said.

" Lord Janner, Lord Brittan and other officials and members of parliament have all escaped facing prosecution, not because of lack of evidence but because of failings by prosecutors and the police to bring them to justice," said a Devon-based analyst Chris Wittwer told Press TV. 

The campaigner from UK & Ireland Database said nobody should be above the law, adding: "However we have seen that time and time again, so-called VIP child abusers conveniently die before they face the inside of a court."

"A trial of the facts, which was due to take place in April has now also been halted, which only reflects on the massive Westminster child abuse cover-up, and their intent to keep abuse allegations brushed under the carpet A trial of the facts would have enabled a jury to decide the facts without apportioning guilt and without a sentence being passed – offering a chance for the victims to be heard," he said. 

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