Final Statutory Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse Published
This week, on Thursday 20 October 2022, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its final statutory report, which was presented to Parliament pursuant to section 26 of the Inquiries Act 2005. In accordance with the Inquiry's Terms of Reference, the report sets out the main findings about the extent to which state and non-state institutions failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation and makes recommendations for reform.
The final report concludes seven years of work by the Inquiry. It draws on the Inquiry’s 15 investigations and 19 related investigation reports, and the Inquiry’s earlier Interim Report. The Inquiry has made 20 recommendations in this final report, which can be read here.
Over the past seven years, a number of members, associate members and former members of Doughty Street Chambers acted in IICSA, as Counsel to the Inquiry (CTI) or Counsel for Core Participants and witnesses. This includes:
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Acting as CTI were Adam Straw KC (who acted as CTI in the investigation into children in custodial institutions), Antonia Benfield (who acted in the investigations into child sexual exploitation by organised networks and children outside the UK, Phase 2), Katie O’Byrne and Abigail Bright (who acted in the investigations into allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster, and Child Migration Programmes), Amelia Nice (who acted in the investigations into children in the care of Lambeth Council, and Accountability and Reparations), Kate Beattie (who acted in the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster), Jelia Sane (who acted in the Roman Catholic Church investigation) and Tim Cooke-Hurle (who acted in the investigation into Accountability and Reparations). Deputy Counsel to the Inquiry was Mrs Justice Henrietta Hill KC, formerly Henrietta Hill QC of Doughty Street Chambers.
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A number of counsel acted for complainant core participants, victims and survivors of abuse, namely: for the investigation into child migration programmes, Aswini Weereratne KC and Keina Yoshida; for the investigation into children in the care of Nottinghamshire Councils, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, Nick Brown, Megan Hirst and Mary-Rachel McCabe; for the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse involving the late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC, Nick Stanage; for a whistleblower and a victim in the care of Lambeth Council, Aswini Weereratne KC with Sam Jacobs; for victims in the Roman Catholic Church investigation, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and Angela Patrick.
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Acting for other core participants – individuals and organisations – were Aswini Weereratne KC and Keina Yoshida (Child Migrants Programmes); Geoffrey Robertson KC, Jonathan Price and Adam Wagner (allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster); Aswini Weereratne KC, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC and Keina Yoshida (sexual abuse of children abroad: children outside the UK, Phase 2); Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, Keina Yoshida and Mary-Rachel McCabe (child sexual exploitation by organised networks); and Aswini Weereratne KC (Accountability and Reparations).
