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| VIP paedophile inquiry: Lord Brittan claims unreliable - 'victim' | VIP paedophile inquiry: Lord Brittan claims unreliable - 'victim' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A vulnerable man who made sex abuse allegations against VIPs has told the BBC he may have been led into making the claims by campaigners. | A vulnerable man who made sex abuse allegations against VIPs has told the BBC he may have been led into making the claims by campaigners. |
| The man told Panorama he had provided VIP names including that of ex-Home Secretary Leon Brittan, "as a joke suggestion to start with", which had later been repeated in earnest. | The man told Panorama he had provided VIP names including that of ex-Home Secretary Leon Brittan, "as a joke suggestion to start with", which had later been repeated in earnest. |
| His account was the basis of news reports about the late Lord Brittan. | His account was the basis of news reports about the late Lord Brittan. |
| Police investigated his claims but brought no charges. | Police investigated his claims but brought no charges. |
| The man - who Panorama refers to as "David" - has given campaigners and journalists details of alleged abuse by Lord Brittan over more than 20 years. | The man - who Panorama refers to as "David" - has given campaigners and journalists details of alleged abuse by Lord Brittan over more than 20 years. |
| 'Confused' | 'Confused' |
| David, who says he has suffered abuse for most of his life, was also interviewed by police as a potential witness for a total of 90 hours.Brittan abuse claims 'unreliable' | |
| He spoke to Panorama as part of its investigation into the so-called Westminster paedophile ring, which is said to have murdered three boys in the 70s and 80s. | He spoke to Panorama as part of its investigation into the so-called Westminster paedophile ring, which is said to have murdered three boys in the 70s and 80s. |
| The late Lord Brittan was one of those accused of being part of it. | The late Lord Brittan was one of those accused of being part of it. |
| Panorama understands that David told the Metropolitan Police he was worried that two well-known campaigners may have led him into making false claims. | Panorama understands that David told the Metropolitan Police he was worried that two well-known campaigners may have led him into making false claims. |
| One of the campaigners suggested names to him "over a period of weeks", he said. | One of the campaigners suggested names to him "over a period of weeks", he said. |
| "It were just done as a joke suggestion to start with but that suggestion became reality. I just went along with it. I identified him [Lord Brittan] with a photograph. | "It were just done as a joke suggestion to start with but that suggestion became reality. I just went along with it. I identified him [Lord Brittan] with a photograph. |
| "But there again, he's a well known MP and I might have seen him on TV through the years and stuff and I might just have been confused," he concluded. | "But there again, he's a well known MP and I might have seen him on TV through the years and stuff and I might just have been confused," he concluded. |
| Find out more | Find out more |
| Read What's the truth about the VIP paedophile ring by Panorama editor Ceri Thomas | Read What's the truth about the VIP paedophile ring by Panorama editor Ceri Thomas |
| 'Terminal cancer' | 'Terminal cancer' |
| Before Lord Brittan died in January 2015, there was an explosion of press speculation linking him to sex abuse. | Before Lord Brittan died in January 2015, there was an explosion of press speculation linking him to sex abuse. |
| Police considered interviewing him over an allegation that he raped a woman in 1967. | Police considered interviewing him over an allegation that he raped a woman in 1967. |
| But in the event, officers chose not to question him. | But in the event, officers chose not to question him. |
| That decision prompted Tom Watson, now the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, to write to the director of public prosecutions. | That decision prompted Tom Watson, now the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, to write to the director of public prosecutions. |
| Panorama has seen the letter Mr Watson wrote, in which he demanded a full review of all abuse allegations made against Lord Brittan, including claims made by David. | Panorama has seen the letter Mr Watson wrote, in which he demanded a full review of all abuse allegations made against Lord Brittan, including claims made by David. |
| Officers subsequently interviewed Lord Brittan, who was suffering from terminal cancer at the time. | Officers subsequently interviewed Lord Brittan, who was suffering from terminal cancer at the time. |
| No charges were brought. | No charges were brought. |
| But questioning him enabled the media to name Lord Brittan as a suspect in a sex abuse case. | But questioning him enabled the media to name Lord Brittan as a suspect in a sex abuse case. |
| Former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord McDonald QC criticised Mr Watson, saying: "For a politician to take on a campaigning role on a justice issue is very common. | Former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord McDonald QC criticised Mr Watson, saying: "For a politician to take on a campaigning role on a justice issue is very common. |
| "To combine that campaigning role with an attempt to influence investigations in particular cases that have no constituency link, I think, is far riskier. | "To combine that campaigning role with an attempt to influence investigations in particular cases that have no constituency link, I think, is far riskier. |
| "The consequences for the people accused of the crime can be so serious." | "The consequences for the people accused of the crime can be so serious." |
| Responding to Panorama's findings, Mr Watson stressed that he had helped bring historical sex abuse cases to court, and that his motivation had been to help the victims. | Responding to Panorama's findings, Mr Watson stressed that he had helped bring historical sex abuse cases to court, and that his motivation had been to help the victims. |
| But in a statement, he added: "It was clear to me very early on that some testimony would prove to be unreliable, yet not all of it." | But in a statement, he added: "It was clear to me very early on that some testimony would prove to be unreliable, yet not all of it." |
| Retired Metropolitan Police detective Sue Hill told Panorama political intervention was making the job of the police harder. | Retired Metropolitan Police detective Sue Hill told Panorama political intervention was making the job of the police harder. |
| "Whatever they do it'll be wrong because politicians will then be giving the police more pressure," she said. | "Whatever they do it'll be wrong because politicians will then be giving the police more pressure," she said. |
| "It needs someone at the top to say, 'Stay out of policing, let them get on with their jobs and stop putting pressure on cops.'" | "It needs someone at the top to say, 'Stay out of policing, let them get on with their jobs and stop putting pressure on cops.'" |
| Watch The VIP Paedophile Ring: What's the Truth? on Panorama, 22:35 BST Tuesday 6 October on BBC One, or catch up later online. | Watch The VIP Paedophile Ring: What's the Truth? on Panorama, 22:35 BST Tuesday 6 October on BBC One, or catch up later online. |