Grenfell inquiry halts as key witnesses ask for immunity from prosecution

Several key witnesses called to give evidence at the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire next week have applied for immunity from prosecution.

Inquiry chairman Martin Moore-Bick said they had asked to apply to the Attorney General “for an undertaking that nothing said by a witness in answers to questions in the inquiry will be used in furtherance of a prosecution against them, thereby giving them complete freedom to tell the truth without concern for the future”.

Witnesses from cladding subcontractor Harley, the tower’s tenant management organisation, and former employees from main contractor Rydon informed the inquiry that, were they not to receive assurance of immunity from prosecution, they would likely refuse to answer certain questions citing privileges which give people a right not to incriminate themselves. 

Moore-Bick said this morning: “This development has caused me a little surprise because hitherto there has been the fullest cooperation with the inquiry both in the form of giving written statements and in the provision of documents and no one so far has sought to avoid doing that or to answer any of our questions on those grounds.”

The announcement delayed the start of today’s hearings as Moore-Bick left the room to give the assembled lawyers time to discuss the development, with the applications to be considered tomorrow.

Privilege against self-incrimination protects a person from being required to answer questions “if to do so truthfully might expose him or her to a risk of prosecution”, Moore-Bick said.

The witnesses who have applied for protection were involved in the design and choice of the materials which have been blamed for causing the fire which killed 72 people.

Yesterday, the inquiry was read out emails which showed the architect, contractor, facade specialist and fire engineer working on the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower appeared to know that the cladding would fail in the event of a fire.