Scotland Yard probe three VIP child murders: Police widen paedophile ring inquiry

 
Vanished: Vishal Mehrotra disappeared after being abducted
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Detectives investigating an alleged VIP paedophile ring are examining claims that three young boys were murdered during a decade of child abuse, police revealed for the first time today.

Scotland Yard said officers are probing serious allegations of abuse at locations across London and the Home Counties, including “military premises”. The claims are based on evidence from a key witness who says he was abused from the age of seven till he was 16 between 1975 and 1984.

Police today appealed for other possible victims to come forward. One senior officer said: “I will believe you, support you and do everything in my power to find those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Much of the abuse is alleged to have taken place at an address in Dolphin Square, Pimlico — a luxury block of flats popular with MPs. The allegations are understood to relate to sexual abuse by a paedophile ring with links to government, spy chiefs and prominent military figures.

The key witness, known as Nick, is said to have given details of three murders — including extra- ordinary claims that he witnessed a boy being strangled to death by a Tory MP. Another child was said to have been deliberately run over and a third killed in front of a government minister.

Scotland Yard confirmed today it was examining allegations of sexual abuse that were linked to the murders of three young boys. Police did not give further details about the murders and said officers had not recovered a body.

Detectives said they had spoken to the families of two boys — Martin Allen and Vishal Mehrotra — who disappeared after being abducted in London, though there was no evidence their deaths were linked to the new inquiry.

Police launched the probe, Operation Midland, in November with a joint unit of detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command and the Child Abuse Investigation Command.

It stemmed from an earlier inquiry examining historical claims of child sex abuse at the Elm Guest House, Barnes.

Today Det Supt Kenny McDonald, in charge of the investigation, said: “I want to appeal directly to those other young boys, now men, who were also subject to abuse at the hands of these men. I know that there were other boys who were abused, or who were present while the abuse took place.

“I ask you to trust me. I will believe you, support you and do everything in my power to find those responsible and bring them to justice. I need your accounts to help me do that.”

He said the witness Nick — a pseudonym — told officers a car would collect him and drive him to Dolphin Square and other locations.

The detective said: “The abuse he was subjected to and which he has detailed was carried out either by a man on his own, a group of men or even in what can only be described as ‘parties’.

“There will be people who lived at or visited Dolphin Square from the early Seventies onwards who will have seen or heard something that they only now understand the significance of.

“Today I ask former and current residents or anyone who routinely went to Dolphin Square to think back and get in touch with us with any information they may have.”

Mr McDonald said he was looking at “a number of other locations” where boys are thought to have been abused. He said his team is working closely with military police.

“It is also investigating the possible murders of three young boys,” he added. “At this stage I don’t have confirmed information I’ll give but our work is ongoing and we are examining reports of missing people from that time. To date we have not recovered a body.”

Police said Operation Midland detectives had spoken to the family of Martin Allen, the son of the chauffeur of a Australian high commissioner, who went missing aged 15 from King’s Cross on his way home to Kensington in November 1979.

The unit was also liaising with Sussex police, currently reviewing the case of eight-year-old Vishal Mehrotra, the son of a former magistrate, who was murdered in 1981.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the investigation team on 020 8721 4005 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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