Lord Janner's £1Million Legacy May Go To His 'Child Sex Abuse Victims'

Executors of Labour peer's will have set aside money to cover potential compensation claims  

By ANDREW YOUNG and MARTIN DELGADO FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

Probate records show that Janner left more than £2.1 million, around half of which has been frozen pending the outcome of legal claims by at least six of his alleged victims.

Lawyers acting for the family of the former Leicester MP, who died aged 87 last December, plan to contest the action in court.

If the abuse claims are found to be unproven, the frozen assets will be distributed according to his will, in which he left the bulk of his fortune to his three children. His wife Myra died in 1996.

Janner died two weeks after he was ruled unfit to stand trial on 22 counts of sex offences against nine boys between 1963 and 1988. A judge decided he was incapable of entering a plea due to his dementia.

A ‘trial of the facts’ – in which as jury is asked to examine evidence and decide whether the accused committed crimes – had been due to start in April. Although this process cannot now take place, the abuse allegations will still be aired in the civil courts.

A source close to Janner’s family said yesterday: ‘As his estate is being sued, a sum has been put aside and cannot be dissipated until the matter is settled.'

‘If it is resolved in the estate’s favour, then inheritance tax on the amount will have to be paid.’

The source added: ‘The claims of abuse will be strongly contested. The family are looking forward to the claimants being cross-examined in court.’

Money from the estate will be used to fight the case and inheritance tax will not be payable on the legal fees, the source said.

The bulk of Janner’s fortune came from his luxury flat in Golders Green, North London. Land Registry records reveal the apartment was sold for £2,035,000 just before his death.

Janner was Labour MP for Leicester North West and then Leicester West from 1970 until retiring in 1997, when he was made a life peer. He campaigned for Israeli and Jewish causes, as well as on women’s equality.


Lord Janner attends a reception to mark the 21st anniversary of the Commonwealth Jewish Council at St James's Palace with the Queen in 2003

Lawyer Liz Dux, who represents several of Janner’s alleged victims, said: ‘The estate is fully aware of its obligations not to distribute any part of the estate while the legal action remains outstanding.’

Janner’s will, signed in 2009, left £15,000 to each of his grandchildren, and £25,000 to his sister Lady Morris of Kenwood. There were also charitable donations of £5,000 each to the World Jewish Affairs Fund, the Commonwealth Jewish Council and Holocaust Educational Trust.

The bulk was left in trust for his three children – Daniel, Marion and Laura.

Janner’s family declined to comment.