A member of the independent panel into child sexual abuse has told MPs she has been "bullied" by the barrister conducting the embattled inquiry.
Home Secretary Theresa May set up the inquiry to find out whether public bodies had neglected or covered up allegations of child sex abuse in the wake of claims paedophiles had operated in Westminster in the 1980s.
Panel member Sharon Evans, a child abuse survivor and chief executive of the Dot Com Children's Foundation, which helps prevent children from becoming victims of violence or abuse, told the Home Affairs Select Committee she felt "bullied" by counsel to the inquiry Ben Emmerson QC.
It came as she gave evidence with other inquiry members, including Professor Alexis Jay, the former Scottish Government chief social work advisor who wrote the damning report into sexual abuse and grooming of youngsters in Rotherham.
Ms Evans said Mr Emmerson was "overstepping the mark" with his advice, including demands she re-write letters sent to the Home Secretary and agreed he was "running the show".
Committee chair Keith Vaz asked Ms Evans about reported concerns she had over alleged threats made by Mr Emmerson in respect of evidence she would give to the Committee.
Ms Evans said: "I do feel concerned, very concerned, yes."
She went on: "I believe I have been called here today - I was appointed, I was told, as the media person for the independent panel and to help understand a survivor perspective and I feel that I was told today that we must speak with a collective voice.
"I feel that would prevent me from answering some of your questions honestly."
Ms Evans said she was concerned about the "independence" of the inquiry in relation to advice she had received from one adviser, adding that letters she had sent to the Home Secretary had been re-written by him.
"I felt very bullied," she told the Committee. "He was overstepping the mark with advice and re-writing of letters."
The inquiry was announced in July but still has no chairman after two previous appointment resigned following claims about their perceived closeness to establishment figures.
Mr Emmerson said: "Sharon Evans has repeatedly disclosed confidential information in public and has made a number of public statements that are factually misleading. These were serious violations of her duties as a panel member and undermine the integrity of the inquiry and the confidence of victims and survivors."
"It was my clear duty as counsel to the inquiry to bring these breaches to the attention of the panel and the Home Office."
The panel later released a statement signed by seven out of eight members, not including Ms Evans, which affirmed it had full confidence in its work. It added: "We reject any suggestion that the panel has been intimidated."
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