Abuse Inquiry Barrister Cleared over Assault Claim

By Sean O’Neill
The Times
December 15, 2016

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/abuse-inquiry-barrister-cleared-over-assault-claim-z7stn5xxk

Ben Emmerson left the independent inquiry in September. He had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a lift

The former lead counsel to the independent inquiry into child abuse has been cleared of an allegation of sexual assault after an investigation ordered by his chambers.

Ben Emmerson, QC, a founder member of Matrix Chambers, had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a lift at the offices of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in London earlier this year.

After the claim was reported in the media and repeated in parliament, Matrix asked Sir David Calvert-Smith, a former High Court judge, to investigate. Sir David, who is also a former director of public prosecutions, interviewed Mr Emmerson and the alleged complainant before preparing a report for the Matrix management committee.

The chambers said in a statement: “Sir David concluded ‘without…