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| VIP paedophile inquiry: Police criticise Panorama broadcast | VIP paedophile inquiry: Police criticise Panorama broadcast |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Scotland Yard has criticised the BBC's decision to broadcast a Panorama programme on child sexual abuse, saying it could affect inquiries. | Scotland Yard has criticised the BBC's decision to broadcast a Panorama programme on child sexual abuse, saying it could affect inquiries. |
| It said it had "serious concerns" about the programme's impact on witnesses and some abuse victims considering coming forward to report crimes. | It said it had "serious concerns" about the programme's impact on witnesses and some abuse victims considering coming forward to report crimes. |
| A man who made allegations against VIPs told Panorama that campaigners may have led him into making sex abuse claims. | A man who made allegations against VIPs told Panorama that campaigners may have led him into making sex abuse claims. |
| The BBC said it was "important and fair investigative journalism". | The BBC said it was "important and fair investigative journalism". |
| However, Norfolk Constabulary chief constable Simon Bailey, who oversees child abuse investigations for the National Police Chiefs' Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Scotland Yard was "absolutely right" to express concern publically over the programme. | However, Norfolk Constabulary chief constable Simon Bailey, who oversees child abuse investigations for the National Police Chiefs' Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Scotland Yard was "absolutely right" to express concern publically over the programme. |
| In a statement that referred to the Panorama programme, called The VIP Paedophile Ring: What's the Truth?, the Metropolitan Police said it had "serious concerns about the impact of this programme on its investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse and homicide, on the witnesses involved, and on the willingness of victims of abuse to come forward to police". | In a statement that referred to the Panorama programme, called The VIP Paedophile Ring: What's the Truth?, the Metropolitan Police said it had "serious concerns about the impact of this programme on its investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse and homicide, on the witnesses involved, and on the willingness of victims of abuse to come forward to police". |
| A man - who Panorama referred to as "David" - told the programme he had felt pressured by others to provide police with VIP names including that of ex-Home Secretary Leon Brittan. | |
| His account was the basis of news reports about the late Lord Brittan, who died in January 2015. Police investigated his claims but brought no charges. | His account was the basis of news reports about the late Lord Brittan, who died in January 2015. Police investigated his claims but brought no charges. |
| In its statement, Scotland Yard also stressed its inquiry was continuing and said it would not give a "running commentary" on its progress. | In its statement, Scotland Yard also stressed its inquiry was continuing and said it would not give a "running commentary" on its progress. |
| 'Enormously concerned' | 'Enormously concerned' |
| "We are worried that this programme and other recent reporting will deter victims and witnesses from coming forward in future," the statement continued. | "We are worried that this programme and other recent reporting will deter victims and witnesses from coming forward in future," the statement continued. |
| "Seeing an individual make allegations and then be targeted by the media is not going to encourage others to speak out." | "Seeing an individual make allegations and then be targeted by the media is not going to encourage others to speak out." |
| The force said it welcomed the increasing confidence from abuse victims and said there had been a "significant" increase in the number of people coming forward after the allegations about Jimmy Savile in 2012. | The force said it welcomed the increasing confidence from abuse victims and said there had been a "significant" increase in the number of people coming forward after the allegations about Jimmy Savile in 2012. |
| It said: "The wider public interest, surely, is for victims and witnesses to have the confidence to come forward with the knowledge that credible allegations will be properly investigated, and when the evidence is there, to have perpetrators brought to justice." | It said: "The wider public interest, surely, is for victims and witnesses to have the confidence to come forward with the knowledge that credible allegations will be properly investigated, and when the evidence is there, to have perpetrators brought to justice." |
| Ceri Thomas, Panorama's editor, said: "We were enormously concerned throughout not to do anything that would deter victims from coming forward. | Ceri Thomas, Panorama's editor, said: "We were enormously concerned throughout not to do anything that would deter victims from coming forward. |
| "But we think we have to be able to scrutinise how the police go about big investigations like this and there really isn't a way to do that without looking at the way that police have treated statements from victims and treated the evidence they've brought forward." | "But we think we have to be able to scrutinise how the police go about big investigations like this and there really isn't a way to do that without looking at the way that police have treated statements from victims and treated the evidence they've brought forward." |
| 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 |
| 'Unprecedented number' | 'Unprecedented number' |
| David has given campaigners and journalists details of alleged abuse by Lord Brittan over more than 20 years. He says he suffered abuse for many years and was also interviewed by police as a potential witness for a total of 50 hours. | David has given campaigners and journalists details of alleged abuse by Lord Brittan over more than 20 years. He says he suffered abuse for many years and was also interviewed by police as a potential witness for a total of 50 hours. |
| 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. |
| Norfolk Constabulary chief constable Simon Bailey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If we go back three years to the Savile case and look at what has taken place since, we are now dealing with an unprecedented number of victims who are having the confidence and the courage to come forward and report non-recent sexual abuse." | Norfolk Constabulary chief constable Simon Bailey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If we go back three years to the Savile case and look at what has taken place since, we are now dealing with an unprecedented number of victims who are having the confidence and the courage to come forward and report non-recent sexual abuse." |
| "I would not want those victims to now feel that if they do come forward and they make those reports that their lives will then be subjected to the type of scrutiny and type of exposure that we have seen in the recent weeks and months... it's only right in my view that we should be given the opportunity to investigate and investigate without our investigations being compromised." | "I would not want those victims to now feel that if they do come forward and they make those reports that their lives will then be subjected to the type of scrutiny and type of exposure that we have seen in the recent weeks and months... it's only right in my view that we should be given the opportunity to investigate and investigate without our investigations being compromised." |