Goddard resigns from Abuse Enquiry – why?

The shock news as Peter writes this blog is that Lol Goddard, the New Zealand judge in charge of the abuse inquiry has resigned from her post in charge of the IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse) some 15 months after she was appointed. She was, of course, the third chairperson after Baroness Butler Sloss who lasted a matter of a week, and Dame Fiona Woolf who resigned after criticism.

In the early days, the Inquiry was heavily criticised by survivors and the public alike due to the leader being connected with establishment figures of various types. It was also criticised for taking on a huge burden of investigation, which would mean its duration would last for many years.

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Goddard considers next steps in Janner abuse investigation

The first preliminary hearing held by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) took place on 9th March at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. It marks the start of public hearings in the Inquiry’s 13 investigations. Its purpose was to consider the next steps in the investigation into institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse relating to the politician Lord Greville Janner.
The public bodies under scrutiny in the Janner inquiry include the Crown Prosecution Service, Leicestershire police, Leicestershire county council, a number of care homes, the Labour party and the Home Office.

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