Day 11 of Janner hearings of #CSAinquiry behind closed doors ALL DAY again:

Michael Creedon.

Former chief constable of Derbyshire Police.

Effectively led probe into Frank Beck in 1991.

Says that he was ORDERED not to arrest Janner.

Testifying in SECRET.

#SecretCSAinquiry

Christopher Thomas, SIO of Operation Dauntless (2006-7) is being slotted in to complete his evidence in closed session before Michael Creedon is called.

Thomas testified on Day 9, but did not finish then. But I tweeted what he has to say on Day 9: https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1319181224720715777

Michael Creedon is testifying behind closed doors at #CSAinquiry.

However, I AM able to tell you what he has to say because it is already in PUBLIC domain, again demonstrating the farce of hearing all of his evidence – and indeed, much of all witnesses’ evidence – in secret.

Back in February, Michael Creedon opposed a claim by counsel to #CSAinquiry that Janner hearings could not be held in public and so should be cancelled.

Creedon submitted through his barrister that the hearings must go ahead – and in public.

Michael Creedon’s barrister, Christopher Daw, told #CSAinquiry in February: “The only way to satisfy the public interest… to allay any concerns the public may have and to ensure that the full truth is brought to light is to have a full public hearing.”

Michael Creedon, who retired as Derbyshire’s chief constable in 2017, was a detective sergeant when, as his barrister told #CSAinquiry on Day 1 of Janner hearings, he “effectively led” much of the “ground-breaking investigation” that resulted in Frank Beck’s conviction in 1991.

Michael Creedon is ON RECORD as saying that during his investigation into Frank Beck “credible evidence” surfaced against Greville Janner, then a Labour MP, that warranted further investigation.

But, he said, he was ordered NOT to arrest Janner or search his home or offices.

Michael Creedon, speaking about order to limit investigation into Greville Janner, said: “The decision was clear, he will be interviewed by appointment and there won’t be a search of his home, his constituency office or his office in the Commons.”

Michael Creedon said that a superintendent conveyed the order to him not to arrest Greville Janner or search his home or offices.

But he believes that it came from chief officers. “It was a decision made by people more senior than me,” he said.

Worth noting that whistleblowers – especially police whistleblowers – are routinely smeared, traduced and have their careers wrecked.

But it was a bit trickier to pull these usual stunts in this case given that Michael Creedon had risen to rank of chief constable.

Police are known to have interviewed Greville Janner as part of the probe into Frank Beck.

Accompanied by his notorious solicitor, Sir David Napley, Janner gave a “no comment” interview.

Naply also represented, eg, paedophile spy Sir Peter Hayman: https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1318177289725685762

Michael Creedon on Greville Janner in Frank Beck probe: “I look at this now, as a chief constable, as a senior investigating officer, in the light of many inquiries before and since. And one of the lines of enquiry could have been to search the house.”

Michael Creedon on Greville Janner in 1991: “The allegations were very serious, there was enough evidence to put a file before the CPS, and as investigating officers our job was to search out as much evidence as possible to prove or disprove the offence.”

Michael Creedon on being ordered to limit his enquiries re Greville Janner in 1991: “My interpretation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act would be that under the circumstances it would have been justified to search the house and offices.”

Michael Creedon, retired chief constable, may well be saying all this dynamite stuff behind closed doors today about how Greville Janner ESCAPED proper police action in 1991 because he is already ON RECORD as saying it.

More after lunch adjournment. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2770235/Police-told-limit-abuse-probe-MP.html

Michael Creedon’s barrister, Christopher Daw, told #CSAinquiry in opening submissions on Day 1 of Janner hearings that his client “had no involvement” in allegations against Greville, later Lord Janner, in either of two later investigations, Operations Magnolia and Dauntless.

Michael Creedon’s lawyer told #CSAinquiry: “Mr Creedon is confident that the inquiry will exercise considerably more judgment and skill when assessing such evidence than has been applied in the past, sadly, by Leicester Constabulary and the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

Michael Creedon’s barrister to Janner hearing of #CSAinquiry: “He is scheduled to provide evidence for more than a day… Some of the answers he provides will not be to everyone's liking. He will be critical and damning of the actions of some individuals and certain institutions.”

Michael Creedon’s barrister submitted that, “throughout his involvement in the various police investigations into Lord Janner”, his client “conducted himself in accordance with the highest professional standards.”

Michael Creedon told IOPC that he had no involvement in initial phases of Operation Magnolia, apart from advising the investigation team to look at material gathered previously, including in investigation into Frank Beck. By then, Creedon was a detective superintendent.

Michael Creedon told IOPC that he was temporary assistant chief constable from April 2001 to January 2002 but had “minimal involvement” in Operation Magnolia.

The IOPC said that “the limited evidence that is available suggests and indicates a greater involvement.”

Michael Creedon was given a briefing on allegations against 22 suspects, IOPC concluded. But the briefing made no mention of Lord Janner.

He said that he had left the force before actions re Janner in Operation Magnolia were concluded.

Michael Creedon to IOPC: he would have expected any info re Janner during Operation Magnolia to have been past to a senior level, and would have expected it to be mentioned in a handover from predeccessor.

This did not happen, and he thinks that his predecessor was never told.

Indeed, all four assistant chief constables at Leicestershire Police during Operation Magnolia denied to the IOPC that they knew about allegations or references to Lord Janner at the time.

Michael Creedon told IOPC that he was not aware of any allegation made against Lord Janner during Operation Magnolia until Operation Enamel in 2012. “There’s not a shred of evidence that I knew anything about Janner.”

Michael Creedon told IOPC that police actions re Lord Janner were closed wrongly in Operation Magnolia.

He said: “It is a failing that no investigative activity was carried out in relation to the allegations.”

And Michael Creedon told IOPC that he was Derbyshire’s chief constable at time of Operation Dauntless, and did not discuss it with Leicestershire officers at the time.

The dynamite evidence of Michael Creedon that #CSAinquiry is trying to brush back under the carpet.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of evidence in closed session for Day 11 says that unnamed former Leicestershire detective chief superintendent – but who has already been publicly identified as Christopher Thomas, SIO of Operation Dauntless in 2006-07 – admitted to a crucial error...

Christopher Thomas admitted that he logged in a policy document in Operation Dauntless that there was an absence of corroborative evidence and that this was “perhaps a little bit inaccurate”.

So records “summary” by #CSAinquiry of his testimony behind closed doors this morning.

Christopher Thomas, despite logging that there was no corroboration, accepted today that there were “the other two potential victims”, says #CSAinquiry “summary”.

He “felt the surrounding circumstances may lend corroboration,” but he “was going to seek a legal view on that.”

Christopher Thomas stood by the decision not to arrest Lord Janner, and said that this had not been “about him being Lord Janner”, says #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.

But he was “pretty frustrated” with the CPS decision not to charge Janner.

Christopher Thomas said that he was never pressured about how to investigate Lord Janner, says #CSAinquiry “summary” of his testimony behind closed doors.

He “tried to do the best job” that he could and to “act in good faith”.

“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 11 says that an unnamed retired chief constable – but who has already been publicly identified as Michael Creedon – said that police in the past did not have “any focus whatsoever” on investigations into child sexual abuse...

Michael Creedon gave a revealing insight into police culture in the past in secret at Janner hearing.

Child sexual abuse, was not seen as “real” crime because it “didn’t tick the target boxes,” according to #CSAinquiry “summary” of his testimony behind closed doors.

Michael Creedon: When proposals were made to give training and detective status to those investigating cases re child protection, there was a “kickback” by detectives and Leicestershire Police did not support the changes – #CSAinquiry “summary”.

This kickback was “horrific”.

Michael Creedon said that, “by and large”, children were not believed, says #CSAinquiry “summary” of his testimony behind closed doors.

The “tragedy that haunted” him was that police took children back to ‘care’ homes where they were being abused.

Michael Creedon described a common practice in which police would “close down” investigations once they had enough complainants to prosecute, without examining other complainants who may have come forwards, says #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.

Michael Creedon, according to #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session, did not think that the police approach was different in the investigation on which he worked [in 1991] as a result of allegations having been made against a person of prominence.

Michael Creedon, talking about the difficulties faced by the probe into Frank Beck and Greville Janner, said that the officer in charge of a children’s home “burnt” some records when it came under investigation, according to #CSAinquiry “summary”.

Michael Creedon said that he was told not to arrest Greville Janner, or search his home, and that this instruction came “from above”, according to #CSAinquiry “summary”.

“It’s very rare for a police force to receive allegations of sexual offending by a sitting MP,” he added.

Michael Creedon was “disappointed” by decision not to arrest Greville Janner, says #CSAinquiry “summary” of his testimony in closed session.

“He thought it was the right thing to do,” he said. There was a “justifiable case for arrest.”

Michael Creedon, said #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session (linked below), did not view decision against arresting Greville Janner as special favours for a high-profile person.

He did not finish today. Is due back tomorrow.

Behind closed doors.

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/22940/view/open-summary-closed-session-monday-26-october-2020.pdf