Thread by @MarkWatts_1

Day 9 of Janner hearings of #CSAinquiry behind closed doors ALL DAY again:

Three witnesses, all officers who worked on ‘Operation Dauntless’ in 2006, Leicestershire Police’s third investigation into Lord Janner…

David Swift-Rollinson, Kevin Barrs, Christopher Thomas.

I will start my coverage of this behind-closed door hearing that started at 10.15am shortly.

Meanwhile, I can reveal that a statement from Tony Blair is due to be read to Janner hearing BEHIND CLOSED DOORS next Tuesday.

See you next Tuesday.

Tony Blair, as prime minister, ennobled Greville Janner in 1997.

But #CSAinquiry is not calling him to answer questions at the Janner hearing.

It has, however, ordered Blair to prepare a statement, which will be read in closed session next Tuesday.

Returning to today’s Janner hearing and in a late addition to the timetable, a statement is being read out in closed session by Matt Baggott, chief constable of Leicestershire Police from 2002 to 2009, which spans the time of Operation Dauntless.

Janner hearing of #CSAinquiry behind closed doors goes on to hear from David Swift-Rollinson, a detective sergeant on Operation Dauntless in 2006, and Kevin Barrs, a detective inspector and the deputy SIO on the probe, which investigated three people, including Lord Janner.

David Swift-Rollinson and Kevin Barrs are testifying behind closed doors at #CSAinquiry.

However, I AM able to tell you what they have to say about Operation Dauntless because it is already in PUBLIC domain as a result of IOPC investigation into police probes into Lord Janner.

David Swift-Rollinson and Kevin Barrs uncovered a statement from ‘Operation Magnolia’ years before from someone who alleged Lord Janner had sexually abused him as a boy, but it had not been passed on to the CPS.

https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1318808738476613633

David Swift-Rollinson and Kevin Barrs told IOPC of their “frustration” at decision making on Operation Dauntless by SIO, Christopher Thomas.

For example, Barrs “expressed his concern” that Lord Janner was not being interviewed, even if by agreement and not following arrest.

Kevin Barrs also “expressed concern” about a policy document by SIO that Lord Janner would not be arrested or interviewed before a response from the CPS on prosecution issues.

It suggested that there was no corroboration despite the statements uncovered from Operation Magnolia.

Kevin Barrs told IOPC that he challenged the content of the file with the SIO on Operation Dauntless, Christopher Thomas, but he was simply told “no” in response to his questions.

Thomas is due to testify behind closed doors this afternoon.

David Swift-Rollinson told IOPC that he also “tried to voice his concerns” about strategic decisions by Thomas, but was over-ruled by him.

And Swift-Rollinson said that he had made his feelings on decision making known in a meeting but “had been put in his place.”

David Swift-Rollinson “expressed his displeasure” to Kevin Barrs following the outcome of Operation Dauntless, according to IOPC report, because he believed that more work could have been done.

CPS decided in 2007 that there was insufficient evidence to charge Janner or anyone.

Janner hearing at #CSAinquiry in closed session may have adjourned for lunch.

This afternoon, Kevin Barrs is due to complete his testimony before the senior investigating officer for Operation Dauntless, Christopher Thomas, has a chance to have his say. Behind closed doors.

Christopher Thomas, SIO of Operation Dauntless in 2006 to 2007, is testifying in closed session.

However, I AM able to tell you what he has to say about the operation because it is already in the PUBLIC domain, partly because of IOPC report on police probes into Lord Janner.

While I will continue to cover the closed #CSAinquiry hearings in London on institutional responses to Greville Janner this afternoon, it is worth noting that Ghislaine Maxwell has just been completely unsealed in New York – or at least her deposition re Jeffrey Epstein has been.

In a previous submission to #CSAinquiry Janner inv, Christopher Thomas, a retired detective superintendent, said that he had conducted “a thorough and effective investigation” and “maintained the high professional standards in Operation Dauntless as he did throughout his career.”

Christopher Thomas, as SIO or senior investigating officer, did not arrange for Lord Janner to be arrested or interviewed, or order a search of his home.

Thomas has already told #CSAinquiry that he decided this in “good faith” and not because of Janner’s prominence.

Christopher Thomas sent an advice file to CPS in 2007 to say that Operation Dauntless had “conducted a full investigation” into allegations against Lord Janner.

Even though his team had not questioned the Labour peer.

In a covering note on CPS file, Christopher Thomas said that interviewing Lord Janner would not assist the investigation as it was likely that he would respond “no comment” to questions put to him.

Note, Lord Janner was accused of “serious sexual assaults”, including rape.

Christopher Thomas added in his note to the CPS: “Due to the passage of time it is unlikely that investigation would uncover any additional fresh evidence.”

He gave more insight into his thinking in a decision log that he wrote in 2007…

Det Supt Thomas noted: “Based on the nature of the allegations, JANNER’s approach when previously I/V’d by police… his public profile and absence of strong corroborative evidence it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that any evidence supporting the allegations will be gained thro’ interview.”

Christopher Thomas added in his decision log of 2007: “It is highly unlikely that arrest/search would uncover forensic or other supporting evidence concerning this allegation.”

All this came to light as a result of IOPC investigation into past police probes into Lord Janner.

I tweeted in April that Christopher Thomas had successfully applied to become a core participant in the Janner investigation of #CSAinquiry, saying in his application that the IOPC had wrongly criticised his conduct.

Christopher Thomas opposed a proposal by counsel to #CSAinquiry to cancel Janner investigation.

Thomas said that criticisms of him by IOPC were “incorrect and misguided and arise out of a deply flawed investigation.”

He is hoping that the inquiry will vindicate him.

Christopher Thomas’s lawyer, Austin Welch, told opening day of Janner hearing of #CSAinquiry: “Whatever the merits of the differing views as to the conduct of the investigation… his decisions were based on his professional judgment as a senior detective without fear or favour.”

“For Christopher Thomas, the key question was not who the subject of the potential arrest and search was, or their position in society, but whether the arrest and search was justified and whether it was likely to provide any positive result,” his barrister told #CSAinquiry.

Christopher Thomas also warned #CSAinquiry, in his opening submissions through his barrister, against assessing his decisions with the benefit of hindsight, which “can cause the panel’s judgment and assessment to become skewed.”

Christopher Thomas in opening submissions via his barrister told #CSAinquiry that he “stands by his actions and decisions made during Operation Dauntless.”

He sought to carry out “a thorough and fair investigation”, seeking advice and guidance throughout.

Day 9 of Janner hearing behind closed doors of #CSAinquiry is due to finish at 4pm after another day of trying to hide what is already in public domain, as this thread reveals.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 9 says that Matt Baggott, Leicestershire Police’s former chief constable, thought that Operation Intern from before his time in post should have led to “lines of enquiry” being pursued re Greville Janner, then Labour MP.

Operation *Magnolia* not Intern.

So many police investigations into Janner over the years, easy to mix them up.

Matt Baggott said re Operation Dauntless, during his time as Leicestershire chief constable, that the IOPC believed that allegations against Lord Janner were not properly investigated: “If true, this is not acceptable.” #CSAinquiry summary of his statement read in closed session.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 9 says that an unnamed former Leicestershire DS – but who was identified in published timetable as David Swift-Rollinson – said that Operation Dauntless had a small team, with all officers working on other major criminal cases.

David Swift-Rollinson, later deputy SIO for Leicestershire Police’s most recent probe into Lord Janner, explained that Operation Dauntless had three suspects, but it discovered that two had died, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session. Janner was the only living suspect.

Records of previous allegations against Lord Janner were a “complete mess”, #CSAinquiry summary of closed session records David Swift-Rollinson as saying.

He did not have time to review all the files because of his commitments to other investigations.

David Swift-Rollinson said that material that he would have expected to have found were not there “as if, quite simply, the job hadn’t been done properly,” according to #CSAinquiry summary of his testimony behind closed doors.

David Swift-Rollinson called two officers from Operation Magnolia to ask why Lord Janner had not been interviewed, and whether allegations against him were referred to CPS, according to #CSAinquiry summary of closed session...

One of these officers from Operation Magnolia told David Swift-Rollinson, he said: “This one will keep coming back to haunt me for the rest of my service,” as recorded in #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

David Swift-Rollinson prepared a report for the file to go to the CPS and, according to #CSAinquiry summary of closed session, he accepted that it did not include references to certain witnesses who had mentioned Lord Janner in previous investigations.

He could not recall why.

David Swift-Rollinson suggested that the failure to mention certain witnesses in report for CPS was because of instructions from SIO, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

Also, he said, the file would have “doubled in size” and “perhaps lost some perspective”.

David Swift-Rollinson included in the file for the CPS statements from Operation Magnolia re Lord Janner, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

He wrote in his covering report that Leicestershire Police had failed to investigate Lord Janner properly previously.

Lord Janner should have been arrested, said David Swift-Rollinson – #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

It was “incredible that an individual such as Lord Janner should be treated any differently by not interviewing him, not arresting and searching” his properties.

David Swift-Rollinson confirmed that he had said in a meeting with his DI and the SIO that if the accused had been a “man on the street” he would have been arrested, had his home searched and been interviewed, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

David Swift-Rollinson said that expressing such strong views towards a senior officer was “unorthodox” – #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

He “pushed and pushed and pushed and tried as hard as [he] could” to force senior officers to make “the right decision”.

David Swift-Rollinson drafted a letter in the SIO’s name to invite Lord Janner to attend a voluntary interview, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

He and his DI hoped that it could be used “to influence the SIO”.

But the letter was never sent.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 9 says that an unnamed former Leicestershire DI – but who was identified in published timetable as Kevin Barrs – said that as deputy SIO on Operation Dauntless he challenged the SIO that the police could investigate more.

Kevin Barrs said that he wanted to arrest Lord Janner on the basis of allegations from Operation Magnolia as well as those that came into Operation Dauntless, according to #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

When Kevin Barrs and his DS [David Swift-Rollinson, later DCI] were told that it was unlikely they would be able to arrest Janner, they discussed inviting him to a voluntary interview, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session. He told the DS to draft a letter on behalf of SIO.

Kevin Barrs e-mailed the draft letter to his SIO, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session. It was to invite Lord Janner to a voluntary interview.

After “a number of weeks”, he received from the SIO “a very curt e-mail back, which was, ‘No.’”

The whole team shared his view re Lord Janner, except the SIO, #CSAinquiry summary of closed session records Kevin Barrs as saying.

He added that he should have gone to a more senior officer with his concerns.

Kevin Barrs said of Lord Janner: “He was afforded the benefit of the doubt. If we’d continued with those investigations, I could have removed that benefit of doubt.” As recorded in #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 9 says that the unnamed SIO on Operation Dauntless – but who is known to be Christopher Thomas – said that he would have listened to other team members’ views, but the decisions were his.

Christopher Thomas was “less certain” than his DS [David Swift-Rollinson] that uncovered statements from Operation Magnolia had not been provided previously to the CPS because his team had not reviewed all the material, according to #CSAinquiry summary of closed session.

The purpose of Operation Dauntless was not to “toothcomb the previous investigations,” Christopher Thomas, a detective superintendent at the time of the investigation, told the hearing, as recorded in #CSAinquiry summary of his testimony in closed session..

Christopher Thomas said that his view was that they had to “pause” the investigation to seek a legal perspective from the CPS, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session. He did not recall the DI [his deputy, Kevin Barrs] saying that further investigations should be carried out.

Christopher Thomas did not recall telling the DI not to carry out any further investigations, says #CSAinquiry summary of closed session (linked).

He did not complete his evidence, so is due to return. Janner hearings are running a bit behind schedule. iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/…