Human rights lawyer Imran Khan takes council to High Court over child abuse redress scheme
The highest profile lawyer working on compensation for victims of systematic child abuse in Lambeth care homes has said he will be mounting a judicial review of the council’s redress scheme.
According to Lambeth council, 2,240 victims of the child abuse that took place between the 1950s and 1980s have received more than £100million as part of its £144million redress scheme, which closed in January 2022.
But Imran Khan KC, who famously represented the family of murdered Eltham teenager Stephen Lawrence at a public inquiry in 1998, said for some abuse survivors the scheme was “neither simple nor effective”, and had exacerbated their trauma.
Mr Khan, who represented 60 clients while the scheme was open, said: “The ending of the Lambeth Redress Scheme has not ended the struggle for compensation for many of my clients.
“Some of my clients have not been compensated and their fight continues. Lambeth’s approach to them means that they will have to endure the further trauma and delay of court proceedings to force Lambeth to give them what they deserve.
“I am determined to assist them in this extremely difficult process.”
The judicial review, which Mr Kahn has issued to the High Court, involves a case in which Lambeth allegedly refused an individual redress payment for a victim who suffered sexual abuse in the Shirley Oaks care home.
Patrick Palmer, who has waived his anonymity to be identified by the South London Press, received his harm’s way payment and is entitled to individual redress.
But, living in a remote field in France with no water or electricity, Mr Palmer lost contact with his lawyers during the pandemic and Lambeth closed his case.
His personal circumstances were “so dire” that he “only survived through the generosity of others”, Mr Khan said.
The lawyer presented the case to Lambeth, but said the council refused to reopen it.
Mr Khan has now issued a claim for judicial review to challenge their decision.
He said: “Lambeth’s decision is shocking because they would appear to want to spend taxpayers’ money on a court case rather than give it to someone who suffered child sexual abuse.”
Mr Khan works alongside the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association (SOSA), an organisation which represents and supports victims of the child abuse scandal.
In June, founder of SOSA, Dr Raymond Stevenson, 60, from Brixton, accused the council of forcing about 150 victims into accepting “unfair” compensation offers throughout the redress scheme.
He said SOSA would be mounting a legal claim against the council on behalf of these victims.
In February, alongside SOSA, Mr Khan opened a legal case against the Met for their involvement and alleged cover-up of the abuse.
A spokesman for the Met said: “We have been engaged with SOSA in relation to a number of concerns raised around historic child abuse and the Met’s involvement in that investigation.
“A report sent by SOSA to the Met was reviewed and a public complaint recorded. We are in contact with SOSA and will take some time to consider our next steps.”
Lambeth council has been approached for comment.
Pictured top: Human rights lawyer Imran Khan KC (Picture: Imran Khan KC)