Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Lord Janner sent a Christmas card to police officer who investigated child sex abuse allegations against him

The DPP declined to charge Lord Janner due to his dementia

Jon Stone
Monday 27 April 2015 06:04 EDT
Comments
Lord Janner
Lord Janner (PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Lord Janner sent a Christmas card who had been involved in investigating allegations of child sexual abuse against him, according to the retired officer.

Retired detective inspector Kelvyn Ashby of Leciestershire Police told the Mail on Sunday newspaper that his team had uncovered evidence to support allegations of abuse but, he claimed, they were prevented from making an arrest by superior officers.

“Someone higher up told us that we couldn’t just arrest an MP and it went no further. We were told that by someone senior, who I can’t name, but the order had to have come from the very top. I’m sure my bosses’ hands were tied,” he told the newspaper.

“The bit that really got me was that I later got a Christmas card in the post from Greville Janner. The card was an official House of Commons Christmas card and was handwritten. It said something like ‘I was very pleased with the way you treated me’ and invited me and my wife for a dinner at the House of Commons.

He added that he as “disgusted” at the card and never replied to it.

Lord Janner strongly denies the allegations against him.

Earlier this month the Director of Public Prosecutions announced that Lord Janner would not stand trial.

Alison Saunders said that despite there being enough evidence to charge the peer with 22 child sex offences a prosecution would not be brought because of the severity of his dementia.

On Sunday it was reported that the chief executive of the children’s charity NSPPC, Peter Wanless, had written to the DPP asking him to reopen the case.

“Given the exceptional historical mistakes in this matter, I would like to understand why you did not deem it in the public interest to have a trial of facts,” he wrote.

More than a dozen individuals have made allegations to police relating to Greville Janner.

The allegations relate to residents in children’s homes in the county of Leicestershire in the 1970s and 1980s.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in