Police Arrest Two Men in Child Abuse Inquiry Dating Back to 1980s

By Sam Jones and Agencies
The Guardian
February 6, 2013

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/06/police-arrest-two-child-abuse-inquiry

The site of the former Elm Guest House in Barnes, London. Scotland Yard launched Operation Fernbridge after Tom Watson MP claimed that 'a senior aide of a former prime minister' had links to a member of a paedophile ring.

Detectives investigating historical claims of child abuse have arrested two men on suspicion of sexual offences, Scotland Yard has said. A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said a 66-year-old man from Norfolk and a 70-year-old man from East Sussex were arrested on Wednesday morning and taken into police custody. The Diocese of East Anglia confirmed that the man arrested in Norfolk was Father Tony McSweeney.

Scotland Yard launched the investigation, known as Operation Fernbridge, last month after Labour MP Tom Watson claimed that a "senior aide of a former prime minister" had links to a member of a paedophile ring.

The investigations are focusing on allegations of child abuse in the early 1980s at the Elm guest house and the Grafton Close care home in Barnes, south-west London.

Watson claimed that a file used to convict Peter Righton of importing indecent images of children in 1992 contained "clear intelligence" of a "widespread paedophile ring". Raising the issue during prime minister's questions, Watson added: "One of its members boasts of his links to a senior aide of a former prime minister, who says he could smuggle indecent images of children from abroad.

"The leads were not followed up, but if the file still exists I want to ensure that the Metropolitan police secure the evidence, re-examine it and investigates clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to parliament and No 10." The Metropolitan police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said Watson's claims would be treated seriously, and the Met said that other matters raised by the MP remained "under assessment".

Commander Peter Spindler, the head of the Met's specialist crime investigations, said: "This is a complex, multi-agency investigation supported by the NSPCC, Ceop [Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre] and Richmond social services involving non-recent allegations of sexual assault against children."

He asked anyone with information on the assaults to come forward. "It is vital that anyone who has been affected by or has information about activity in the early 1980s at the Elm guest house or the Grafton Close care home in Barnes speaks to the NSPCC on their helpline on 0808-800 5000, or their local police," he said.

A spokesman for Richmond council, which ran the care home, said: "Richmond council considers the safeguarding of all children and young people as an utmost priority and we take any allegations of abuse very seriously.

"As such we are offering our full support and co-operation to the police during their investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

Peter Watt, the director of the NSPCC helpline, said the charity was helping the police and echoed the Met's appeal for information.

"We will assist the police in gathering evidence and supporting those who come forward," he said. "It's important we recognise the massive impact abuse has on children and young people, often well into their adult life."

The charity's 24-hour helpline, which is staffed by trained counsellors, is also available by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk or via text message to 88858.

Responding to a report by the Sunday People that the 66-year-old man arrested in Norfolk