1,400 suspects in politician and celebrity child sex abuse inquiry

More than 1,400 suspects have been investigated by police looking into child sex abuse allegations against VIPs including politicians, celebrities and institutions. 

A national police group, known as Operation Hydrant, released the figures at a briefing on its inquiry into possible links between child sex abuse investigations involving public figures currently being run by different forces across the country.
Chief Constable Simon Bailey, who is leading the inquiry, told the briefing that out of 1,433 alleged offenders identified nationwide, 76 were politicians, 43 were from the music industry, seven were from sport and 135 were from the TV, film or radio industries. Some 216 are now dead.
“The referrals are increasing on an almost daily basis. The numbers I refer to today are a snapshot in time,” Bailey said.
Operation Hydrant, created by the the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the body that superseded the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), is not leading any particular investigations itself but gathering intelligence on a number of ongoing inquiries.
Among investigations into historical sex crimes are Operation Pallial, which is looking at claims of abuse in care homes in north Wales and an inquiry into Knowl View school in Rochdale, where the late MP Sir Cyril Smith is said to have abused boys.
Bailey told the briefing that among the total number of suspects, 666 were alleged to have offended within institutions.
Detectives have identified 154 schools, 75 children’s homes and 40 religious establishments among the institutions.
In addition, reports of non-historic child abuse have more than doubled in three years.
Police are projected to receive around 116,000 reports of historic child sex abuse by the end of 2015, an increase of 71% from 2012, Bailey said.
“We are seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of reports that are coming forward,” he added. “There is no doubt (Jimmy) Savile has had an effect on us. We are dealing with more and more allegations.”
The number of victims are thought to run into the thousands, Bailey said.
Reacting to the group’s findings, Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive, said: “These astonishing figures starkly underline how child sexual abuse has infiltrated every level of society, from politics to sport and show business.
“Hundreds of institutions, including schools, children’s homes, hospitals and religious buildings have been the scenes of appalling crimes involving a multitude of victims.
“We are now witnessing a seismic shift in confidence by people to report sexual abuse. In the past it was far too easy for those in positions of power and authority to use their influence to silence victims. But those they preyed upon know now there is a better chance they will be believed.”