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Lord Janner sex abuse case 'collapses' as six more claimants abandon legal action

Criminal proceedings began against the peer while he suffered from Alzheimer's - Will Wintercross
Criminal proceedings began against the peer while he suffered from Alzheimer's - Will Wintercross

The case against the late Lord Janner has collapsed after six victims who were alleging child abuse withdrew their legal claims.

The Labour politician’s family has said the move effectively clears their father’s name and claimed he had been subject to an “appalling injustice”.

The development means nine claimants in the High Court action against Lord Janner’s £2 million estate have now pulled out.

The allegations against our late father were wholly unsubstantiated

Janner family statement

His family had made clear they would subject all claimants to intense cross-examination in court if they persisted with the legal action.

Four of the six men were also due to give evidence in the criminal proceedings against Janner, which began before his death from Alzheimer’s aged 87 in December 2015. He had been facing 22 charges.

However, doubts had been growing around many of the allegations, including a claim that Janner had abused an alleged victim over a three-day period in 1987 when his passport shows he was in Australia.

"We want to thank all those who stood by our family through this nightmare. The allegations against our late father were wholly unsubstantiated and an appalling injustice," a statement issued by the family said.

"Although our beloved father never lived to see the claimants abandon each and every one of their claims, we now have the peace of mind that our father's reputation as a man who devoted his life to good has been restored."

The abandonment of the civil claims raises potential difficulties for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, chaired by Alexis Jay, of which the Janner allegations form a strand.

However, a spokesman for the inquiry said the investigation would continue.

Law firm Slater and Gordon, which represents the six men, said its clients would now seek to “get to the truth” by working with the inquiry.