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Child abuse inquiry: Police investigate three alleged murders Child abuse inquiry: Police investigate three alleged murders
(35 minutes later)
Detectives are investigating three alleged murders as part of an inquiry into historical child abuse, the Met Police has said.Detectives are investigating three alleged murders as part of an inquiry into historical child abuse, the Met Police has said.
Officers made a public appeal for information relating to Dolphin Square estate in Pimlico, south-west London.Officers made a public appeal for information relating to Dolphin Square estate in Pimlico, south-west London.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse said no confirmed identities or bodies of victims had been found.Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse said no confirmed identities or bodies of victims had been found.
Allegations of a paedophile ring involving prominent figures in the 1970s and 1980s are being investigated.Allegations of a paedophile ring involving prominent figures in the 1970s and 1980s are being investigated.
Detectives said they were also examining whether children were abused at locations including "military establishments". Operation Midland, which is under the umbrella of Operation Fairbank, is one of a number of ongoing inquiries into historical abuse.
The appeal has been made as part of Operation Midland, which stems from allegations made by a man known as "Nick", who says he was abused by a paedophile ring including high-profile people. 'Credible and true'
He has told police he was taken by car to "parties" where he was abused, including at least one flat in the Dolphin Square estate. Detectives said they were also examining whether children were abused at locations across London and including at "military establishments".
The inquiry is also working through historical missing persons reports and unsolved child murders to look for possible links to the case.
However, officers said the search was being hampered by out-of-date records from the past.
The appeal has been made as part of Operation Midland, which stems from allegations made by a man known as "Nick", who says he was abused by a paedophile ring including high-profile people from the age of seven to 16.
He has told police he was taken by car to "parties" where he was abused by men, including at least one flat in the Dolphin Square estate.
Asked about the claims, Det Supt Kenny McDonald - who is overseeing Operation Midland - said officers who had spoken to him thought his account was "credible and true".Asked about the claims, Det Supt Kenny McDonald - who is overseeing Operation Midland - said officers who had spoken to him thought his account was "credible and true".
Det Supt MacDonald appealed for other boys who might have been abused to come forward.Det Supt MacDonald appealed for other boys who might have been abused to come forward.
"We are working hard to try to establish the number of boys involved. I would like appeal to those boys to trust me I will support you and do all in my power to bring the abusers to justice," he said."We are working hard to try to establish the number of boys involved. I would like appeal to those boys to trust me I will support you and do all in my power to bring the abusers to justice," he said.
BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said it was the first time Operation Midland had confirmed the number of possible murders officers were investigating.
'Very powerful people'
He said the allegations were that three children had been murdered.
The claims also included allegations a child had been run over.
They involved an alleged paedophile ring including "very important people", our correspondent added.
It comes after Nick gave his first broadcast interview last month, telling the BBC his abusers had no hesitation in doing what they wanted.
"Some of them were quite open about who they were. They had no fear at all of being caught, it didn't cross their mind," he said.
The abusers "created fear that penetrated every part of me, day in day out", he added.
"You didn't question what they wanted, you did as they asked without question and the punishments were very severe.
"They were very powerful people and they controlled my life for the next nine years," he told the BBC.