Scotland Yard detective 'removed from paedophile probe after naming politicians'
The former top officer claimed he suddenly found himself taken off the case and put on a disciplinary after revealing politicians were among the suspects
By Keith Perry
12:12AM BST 16 Jul 2014
A former Scotland Yard detective has claimed he was moved from his post after trying to investigate politicians over child abuse.
Retired Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll told the BBC's Newsnight he was conducting an inquiry in 1998 into activity alleged to have taken place in Lambeth children's homes in the 1980s.
Mr Driscoll said he had a list of suspects he wanted to look at, including local and national politicians. "Some of the names were people that were locally working. Some people that were if you like, working nationally, there was quite a mix really because it appeared that it was connected to other boroughs and other movement around the country," he said.
Mr Driscoll said he was removed from his post after sharing his suspicions at a meeting with other officers. "I certainly in a case conference disclosed suspects' names, 100%, but I was informed that was inappropriate and I would be removed from my post," he said.
"Whenever people spoke to you and shared their fears and their story about what they had seen, it was almost on the proviso that they wouldn't make a statement and that they would be scared if you released who those people were that were talking for fear of reprisals to both their selves and their families."
Investigations are believed to have continued into more than 20 children's homes after Mr Driscoll was moved. The Metropolitan Police has now reportedly asked to meet him about his claims.
Mr Driscoll, who went on to be involved in the probe that eventually resulted in convictions for the killing of teenager Stephen Lawrence, also claimed there were discussions within the force about holding back certain documents from an independent inquiry into the original murder investigation.
He told the programme he believed there were "disruption tactics" during his successful investigation. Some of Mr Driscoll's claims could be considered by the Government's independent inquiry into whether institutions covered up allegations of child abuse.