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| Metropolitan Police probed over child abuse 'cover-up' claims | Metropolitan Police probed over child abuse 'cover-up' claims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The police watchdog is investigating alleged corruption in the Metropolitan Police, including claims it covered up child sex offences because MPs and police officers were involved. | |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating 14 referrals spanning four decades. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating 14 referrals spanning four decades. |
| It said the claims were of "high-level corruption of the most serious nature". | It said the claims were of "high-level corruption of the most serious nature". |
| The Met said it had voluntarily referred the allegations, which arose from an investigation launched in 2012. | The Met said it had voluntarily referred the allegations, which arose from an investigation launched in 2012. |
| The investigation, known as Operation Fairbank, is looking into historical child sex abuse claims involving politicians and other public figures. | |
| Allegations being considered by the IPCC include: | |
| The IPCC will "manage" an investigation that was already being conducted by the Met Police's Directorate of Professional Standards into the alleged corruption. It says it is still considering whether to take responsibility for investigating two of a total of 16 allegations referred to it by the Met. | The IPCC will "manage" an investigation that was already being conducted by the Met Police's Directorate of Professional Standards into the alleged corruption. It says it is still considering whether to take responsibility for investigating two of a total of 16 allegations referred to it by the Met. |
| The force said in a statement: "The allegations emerged whilst officers were working on Operation Fairbank and relate to the period between 1970 and 2005. | The force said in a statement: "The allegations emerged whilst officers were working on Operation Fairbank and relate to the period between 1970 and 2005. |
| "The MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] recognised the severity of the allegations, and the importance of understanding whether or not our officers had in the past acted inappropriately, and therefore voluntarily referred the 16 separate allegations to the IPCC. | "The MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] recognised the severity of the allegations, and the importance of understanding whether or not our officers had in the past acted inappropriately, and therefore voluntarily referred the 16 separate allegations to the IPCC. |
| "Ongoing investigations and recent convictions by officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command have shown that the MPS is fully committed to investigating non-recent allegations of sexual abuse." | "Ongoing investigations and recent convictions by officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command have shown that the MPS is fully committed to investigating non-recent allegations of sexual abuse." |
| 'Appalling allegations' | |
| Labour MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk told BBC Radio 4's World at One the investigation was a "significant development". | Labour MP for Rochdale Simon Danczuk told BBC Radio 4's World at One the investigation was a "significant development". |
| Mr Danczuk, who had been calling for such an inquiry, said: "We are on the cusp of finding out exactly what went on in the 70s and 1980s and, I'm sorry to say, I think it will be shown that senior politicians were involved in abuse and there was a cover up. I think that's inevitable now." | Mr Danczuk, who had been calling for such an inquiry, said: "We are on the cusp of finding out exactly what went on in the 70s and 1980s and, I'm sorry to say, I think it will be shown that senior politicians were involved in abuse and there was a cover up. I think that's inevitable now." |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "It is worrying that this is not a fully independent investigation. Instead the Met will lead this work with oversight from the IPCC. | |
| "Surely this should be done by an independent investigator or, at the very least, an alternate force." | |
| Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) said: "I think we're looking at something that is going to be absolutely massive in terms of the revelations that will follow the allegations, if investigated properly." | Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) said: "I think we're looking at something that is going to be absolutely massive in terms of the revelations that will follow the allegations, if investigated properly." |
| He said people calling the Napac helpline had made allegations about "high-profile" people, including politicians, for years and that he had wondered "if the truth was ever going to come out". | He said people calling the Napac helpline had made allegations about "high-profile" people, including politicians, for years and that he had wondered "if the truth was ever going to come out". |
| Peter Garsden, president of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers, said those who had suffered abuse themselves would want the inquiry to be conducted transparently. | Peter Garsden, president of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers, said those who had suffered abuse themselves would want the inquiry to be conducted transparently. |
| He told the BBC: "They will believe that even this investigation, I suspect, will be yet another cover-up. | He told the BBC: "They will believe that even this investigation, I suspect, will be yet another cover-up. |
| "So it's very difficult to persuade them that everything is being done. They will be triggered into further suffering and memories of the abuse that happened to them many years ago - so it's a deeply troubling experience for the entire survivor group of people." | "So it's very difficult to persuade them that everything is being done. They will be triggered into further suffering and memories of the abuse that happened to them many years ago - so it's a deeply troubling experience for the entire survivor group of people." |
| The other allegations that form part of the IPCC investigation are: | The other allegations that form part of the IPCC investigation are: |
| Have you been affected by the issues in this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Have you been affected by the issues in this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please leave a contact number if you are willing to speak with a BBC journalist. | Please leave a contact number if you are willing to speak with a BBC journalist. |
| Have your say | Have your say |