Lord Janner: Three chances 'missed' to prosecute former Labour peer over sex abuse claims, inquiry claims

Three chances were missed to prosecute Lord Greville Janner over sex abuse allegations, an independent inquiry has found.

Alleged victims of the former Labour peer were left "devastated" when a criminal case was dropped on Friday following his death last month aged 87.

ITV News Correspondent Emma Murphy reports:

A report by High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques found three opportunities where Lord Janner should have been prosecuted:

  • 1991

A decision not to charge the peer was wrong and there was enough evidence to charge him with indecent assault and buggery, Sir Richard said.

The charging decision was taken after an "inadequate" police investigation and should have been delayed.

  • 2002

Police failed to pass on further claims against the late politician to the Crown Prosecution Service, the report said.

  • 2007

Again, there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Lord Janner for indecent assault and buggery.

He should have been arrested and interviewed and his home searched.

The criminal case against Lord Janner was dropped last week. Credit: PA Wire

Alison Saunders, the director of public prosecutions, said the failure to prosecute Lord Janner was a "matter of sincere regret".

Before he died, the peer was found unfit to stand trial after being charged with a string of sexual offences dating back to the 1960s.

A trial of the facts had been scheduled for this year, but it was scrapped following his death.