Met Police to be probed over claims it covered up child sex abuse
THE METROPOLITAN Police is to be investigated over claims it covered up child sex abuse due to the involvement of MPs and senior officers.
Allegations of this nature are of grave concern
The Independent Police Complaints Commission announced today it will probe 14 allegations, which cover four decades dating back to the 1970s.
One of the claims directly refers to the notorious Dolphin Square apartment block in Pimlico, west London, where it is alleged VIP sex parties involving underage boys took place.
Others include a claim an abuse victim's statement was altered to omit the name of a senior politician implicated in the crime, and another allegation that no action was taken over the discovery of a document listing MPs and police officers involved in a paedophile ring.
The IPCC Deputy Chair Sarah Green said:
"These allegations are of historic, high level corruption of the most serious nature.
“We will oversee the investigations and ensure that they meet the terms of reference that we will set.
"Allegations of this nature are of grave concern and I would like to reassure people of our absolute commitment to ensuring that the investigations are thorough and robust."
The 14 allegations are:
*A potential cover up around failures to properly investigate child sex abuse offences in south London and further information about criminal allegations against a politician being dropped;
*An investigation involving a proactive operation targeting young men in Dolphin Square was stopped because officers were too near prominent people;
*A document was found at an address of a paedophile that originated from the Houses of Parliament listing a number of highly prominent individuals (MPs and senior police officers) as being involved in a paedophile ring and no further action was taken;
*An account provided by an abuse victim had been altered to omit the name of a senior politician;
*An investigation into a paedophile ring, in which a number of people were convicted, did not take action in relation to other more prominent individuals;
*A politician had spoken with a senior Met Police officer and demanded no action was taken regarding a paedophile ring and boys being procured and supplied to prominent persons in Westminster in the 1970s;
*In the late 1970s a surveillance operation that gathered intelligence on a politician being involved in paedophile activities was closed down by a senior Met Police officer;
*A dossier of allegations against senior figures and politicians involved in child abuse were taken by Special Branch officers;
*A surveillance operation of a child abuse ring was subsequently shut down due to high profile people being involved;
*Allegations of child sex abuse against a senior politician and a subsequent cover-up of his crimes;
*During a sexual abuse investigation a senior officer instructed the investigation be halted and that that order had come from 'up high' in the Met.
*A conspiracy within the Met to prevent the prosecution of a politician suspected of offences;
*Allegations against a former senior Met Police officer regarding child sex abuse and that further members of the establishment including judges were involved. It is claimed that no further action was taken;
*Police officers sexually abused a boy and carried out surveillance on him.
There are further allegations of financial corruption in a London borough police force.
The IPCC said it will decide at a later date whether or not to investigate a further two Met referrals which are "of a similar nature".
