Daily Archives: January 18, 2017

Lord Janner’s Family To Apply For Core Participant Status At Child Abuse Inquiry

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in child abuse inquiry, Researching Reform

≈ 4 Comments

This just in.

Lord Janner’s family will be meeting with lawyers at the child abuse inquiry later on today, after previously deciding not to take part in the inquiry process. The family will argue that as Lord Janner is no longer alive, it would be unfair to include him in the Inquiry as he is not able to defend himself.

They will now be asking for Core Participant Status (CPS) in order to address the panel and counter any allegations made.

The Inquiry has very specific guidelines as to who can apply for CPS, with sole discretion to accept individuals resting with the Chair.

The rules tell us that:

“When determining any applications the Chair must, in particular, consider whether:

a. the person played, or may have played, a direct and significant role in relation to the matters to which the inquiry relates;

b. the person has a significant interest in an important aspect of the matters to which the inquiry relates; or

c. the person may be subject to explicit or significant criticism during the inquiry proceedings or in the report, or in any interim report.”

As Lord Janner is no longer alive, his family hope to represent him as Core Participants, however that alone will not be enough to guarantee a successful application as there is an obvious conflict of interest that could cause difficulties. Lord Janner’s relatives have always claimed his innocence, so it is not clear what kind of evidence they could offer the Inquiry, at least not under item a. above.

Even under item b. a ‘significant interest’ may not include an interest to prove a person’s innocence.

Item c. could offer the Janner family a stronger claim for Core Participant Status. It is likely that Lord Janner will be implicated in a series of child sexual abuse incidents, however item c. refers to the person in question, and not family members.

The final decision though, will rest with Professor Jay. As the rules go on to say:

“While the Chair is bound to consider the factors set out in Rule 5(2), it is open to her to take into account other relevant matters. The Chair is also not obliged to designate a person or organisation that meets the criteria set out in Rule 5 of the Inquiry Rules as a core participant. She has a wide discretion that she will exercise fairly, consistently and with an open mind.”

We will keep you posted.

Greville Janner, Comment

 

 

 

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Children And Armed Conflict: Figures We Can’t Ignore.

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Researching Reform

≈ 4 Comments

One of our go-to newsletters for information on child welfare is the very excellent CRIN Wire, produced by the Child Rights International Network, whose website is also thought provoking and informative.

Usually we read the articles they share and tend to feel a little heavier for it, but this week’s mail took our breath away. As we were reading the summaries for each item, the sheer number of children who had been killed, recruited for war or exposed to its impact left us in disbelief.

Here are some of the statistics:

  • In South Sudan, 1,300 children were recruited by armed forces and armed groups in 2016. The total number of children used in conflict since 2013 is now more than 17,000.
  • In Yemen, the UN estimates that nearly 1,400 children have been killed and at least 2,140 injured with actual numbers likely to be “much higher”.
  • In Syria, it is believed that 300,000 children remain trapped, with more than two million children living in areas that are extremely difficult to reach due to the fighting taking place
  • In Iraq,  UNICEF believes that more than 50,000 children have been affected by the Mosul military operation and associated conflicts. These children need basic services, psychosocial support and access to education.
  • UNICEF claims that more than 90 per cent of children reaching Italy’s shores are separated or unaccompanied. It estimates that in 2016, around 25,800 unaccompanied or separated children arrived in Italy.

We don’t think we need to say anything else.

crin