Child abuse whistleblowers should have immunity from arrest, says Theresa May

UNITED KINGDOM
Independent

NIGEL MORRIS HELEN CARTER Tuesday 17 March 2015

Police and intelligence officers with information about paedophile rings should be protected from prosecution if they appear before the official inquiry into historic sex abuse, Theresa May has said.

The Home Secretary backed immunity for witnesses following claims that officers investigating the activities of the late Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith were threatened with court action under the Official Secrets Act.

Scotland Yard is being investigated over allegations it covered up child sex abuse because of the involvement of MPs and police officers.

A former detective has claimed that the politician escaped prosecution because other Establishment paedophiles feared he would reveal their identities in court and said he was ordered to drop his investigation into Smith.

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