Officers have identified a luxuey flat in Pimlico, London,
which is connected to a large cellar believed to have been used as a
'holding area' for abuse victims
New development: Police have pinpointed a London flat where they believe witness 'Nick' and other abuse victims were held
Police investigating a VIP paedophile ring have pinpointed a luxury
flat where they believe boys were held before being sexually abused by
prominent men – and in one case murdered.
The apartment is in upmarket Pimlico, central London, and is connected to a large cellar.
In a chilling development, detectives from Operation Midland believe
the premises were used as a holding area for youngsters before they were
driven a short distance to abuse parties.
The Sunday People
and the Exaro investigative website can reveal detectives also
suspect the apartment could be linked to a murder allegedly involving
members of the paedophile network.
They are now preparing to take a former abuse victim to the property.
Officers want him to confirm their suspicions that the address is a key site in their investigation.
One line of enquiry is whether a cellar at the flat was used to keep
one or more boys before they were sexually abused at another property
nearby.
The exact location of the flat cannot be identified at this stage,
nor can the evidence that relates to it, for fear of disrupting the
police investigation.
Detectives regard the property as potentially crucial but have identified other premises they want to look at.
They plan to take a key witness, known as Nick to protect his
identity, on a drive-around of locations in central London that may
have been used by the paedophile network.
Nick came forward last year with a series of allegations.
He says a group of influential and wealthy men sexually abused him as
a boy at Dolphin Square, the apartment complex in Pimlico where many
MPs have homes, and elsewhere.
He also claims to have seen members of a Westminster paedophile network murder three boys. And he is keen to help Operation Midland get to the truth.
In an open appeal, he said: “I would like to make a personal request
to all the boys who were hurt alongside me to come forward if you can
and if you have not done so already.
“You will not remember ‘Nick’. It is not my real name. But you will recognise what went on and where.
“I totally understand why you might not feel able to, and I know the
fear that they instilled in us back then stopped me from speaking out
previously. But now is the right time to come forward.
“If the fear of certain members of the inner circle is holding you back, you need not worry.
“It did not stop me, and the police can explain more if you get in touch.
“There are some excellent detectives from the Metropolitan Police who
are working on the information that I have given to them. They want to
help, they want to listen, and they are not afraid to go where the
evidence takes them.
“It is not an easy thing to do. It is really hard to find that
courage to come forward and then have to go through with the police what
happened.
“But they have made it as easy for me as they possibly could have done.
“They have listened to me. They have kept me updated, and ensured
that I am safe. They have made sure that I have support and have
maintained my anonymity.
“I also ask others to come forward if you have information about what was going on.
“Were you one of my drivers? Were you suspicious at the comings and
goings of boys at all times of the day and night? Any piece of
information, no matter how insignificant you think it is, might be
useful to the police.”
The Pimlico flat will be among several properties to be included in the police drive-around.
Other places in the smart London district are also of interest as
possible locations of child sex abuse involving the network of perverts.
Getty
Search for truth: Tom Watson MP
Pimlico is now a key focus for Operation Midland.
The latest development comes after the Sunday People and Exaro last
week revealed that Operation Midland had searched four homes, including two belonging to former Home Secretary Leon Brittan, who died two months ago aged 75.
Operation Midland was launched last year after Nick came forward,
initially to Exaro, to give an account of child sex abuse at Dolphin
Square and elsewhere.
Nick is one of three men who have given testimony about how they were
sexually abused as boys by a group of people, including public figures,
at Dolphin Square.
Police are also examining claims based on Nick’s evidence that Mr
Brittan was present when two unidentified men beat a boy to death
following sexual abuse around 1981 or 1982.
Det Supt Kenny McDonald, who is overseeing Operation Midland, said
officers who had spoken to Nick thought his account was “credible and
true”.
During a Press conference in December, Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Steve Rodhouse said police were examining whether children were abused
at a number of locations , including the South East, London and at military establishments.
Operation Midland, is a strand of the Operation Fairbank inquiry investigating allegations of historical child abuse.
Fairbank was set up after Labour MP Tom Watson MP asked about the
existence of a high-level child abuse network with links to Parliament
and Downing Street.
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