UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian
Sandra Laville
Thursday 9 July 2015
The long-awaited independent inquiry into child sexual abuse opens on Thursday in London amid renewed warnings to the cabinet secretary, religious leaders and public bodies not to shred documents which might be needed in evidence.
Justice Lowell Goddard, the New Zealand judge recruited as chair after two previous appointees resigned over their apparent links to the establishment, will open proceedings with an hour-long statement outlining the work ahead. She has written to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the head of the civil service and cabinet secretary, warning that there must be no “premature destruction of files or records that later become required as evidence”.
Goddard has issued similar warnings to religious leaders, chief constables, the NHS and local authority leaders and listed the types of documents she will be seeking as the inquiry continues.
These include reports, reviews, briefings, minutes and notes of correspondence relating to allegations about individuals, institutions, organisations and public bodies who may have been involved in or had knowledge of child sexual abuse.
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