New CSA inquiry to be headed by New Zealand judge

The home secretary has announced the scrapping of the controversial inquiry into child sexual abuse (CSA), after months of delays and criticism.

Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down as chair of the inquiry in July 2014 following questions over the role played by the former attorney general, Lord Havers, who is her brother, in the late 1980s.

Her replacement, Dame Fiona Woolf, also resigned following of criticism over her links to the 'Establishment', including the former home secretary Leon Brittan.

Announcing her decision, Theresa May said she would set up a new enquiry headed by New Zealand high court judge, Lowell Goddard.

The existing panel of experts is to be dissolved and the new inquiry will now be able to look back at cases of alleged abuse before 1970.

Tracey Storey, a partner and expert abuse lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, represents many survivors of child abuse, said: "The delays with this independent inquiry have been completely unacceptable and survivors will no doubt be relieved that the CSA panel has now been dissolved, as it had become a concern that two chairs had resigned and the panel was continuing its work without leadership in place."

Storey added that while it was a positive development that a new chair had been appointed by the home secretary, survivors will still be left "frustrated and angry" that the process will have to begin again from the beginning leading to further delays.

"It is imperative the panel is set up correctly and suitable members are appointed so investigations can begin, as survivors already feel let down by the process and are understandably concerned that the answers they are looking for have not been provided over six months after the panel was announced," she continued.

Storey concluded by saying: "We hope that the appointment of Honourable Justice Lowell Goddard will signal the start of the inquiry in earnest and that the announcement of a statutory inquiry will provide survivors and support groups with increased hope that they are moving closer to receiving the answers they deserve."

John van der Luit-Drummond is legal reporter for Solicitors Journal