London Police Drop Sex Abuse Charges against Prominent Rabbi

A police investigation into sex abuse allegations against a prominent London rabbi has been dropped.

The Metropolitan Police said Friday that the Crown Prosecution Service would not bring charges against a 54-year-old man regarding allegations of sexual assault, The Jewish Chronicle of London reported on its website.

Several London rabbis have confirmed to JTA in the past that the 54-year-old man in question in Rabbi Chaim Halpern.

The report said that officers from the London borough of Barnet’s sexual offenses, exploitation and child abuse command, had fully investigated all the allegations.

Halpern, who is the head of the Divrei Chaim synagogue in the heavily Jewish Golders Green area of the British capital, was arrested in February but denied any wrongdoing.

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations will have to decide whether to reconvene a special rabbinical court, which was suspended during the police inquiries, to examine his conduct, the Chronicle reported.

Police added: “Anyone who believes they have been a victim of crime should report this to police.”