VIP child sex abuse probe: Police

investigate more than 1,400 people

including politicians and celebrities

The figures have been revealed by Operation

Hydrant to explore alleged abuse at the hands
of prominent public persons
LOULLA-MAE ELEFTHERIOU-SMITH

WEDNESDAY 20 MAY 2015

Police have investigated more than 1,400 suspects in their probe into the alleged historic child sex
abuse allegations against VIPs including politicians, celebrities and institutions.
Operation Hydrant, the group set up by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to explore links
between investigations by different police forces into prominent public persons alleged to have
committed child sex abuse, revealed the figures.
Out of the 1,433 suspects identified, 216 are now dead.
The group's chair, Norfolk Chief Constable Simon Bailey, said at a briefing: The referrals are
increasing on an almost daily basis. The numbers I refer to today are a snapshot in time.

Rolf Harris has

been convicted for a string of indecent assaultsHe said a group of 261 people had been

classified as people of public prominence, of which 135 are in the TV, film or radio industry, 76
were listed as politicians, 43 are from the music industry and seven in the world of sport.
Mr Bailey continued: We are seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of reports that are
coming forward.
"That has brought about a step change in the way the service has had to deal with it."
He added: "There is no doubt (Jimmy) Savile has had an effect on us. We are dealing with more and
more allegations."
It is now projected that around 116,000 reports of historic child sex abuse will have been made to
the police by the end of this year, an increase of 71 per cent from 2012, Mr Bailey said.

Gary Glitter, real

name Paul Gadd, was jailed for 16 years for historic child sex abusesThere is no specific

figure for the number of victims, but Mr Bailey said it will run into the thousands.

The current figures from Operation Hydrant have been taken from police forces in England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland, and relate to reports and investigations of abuse dealt with by police
in the summer of 2014.
Of the 1,433 suspects Mr Bailey said of this total 666 people were related to institutions.
This has led to 357 separate institutions being identified by the operation, 154 of which are schools,
with a further 75 identified as children's homes and named as 40 religious institutions.

Max Clifford was

found guilty of eight indecent assaults against women and girls as young as 15A further 14

have been identified as 14 medical establishments, with 11 named as institutions within

communities. There are also nine prisons identified, nine sports venues and 28 other institutions
including military groups and guest houses. A total of 17 have been classified as unknown.
Mr Bailey said the figures raise the question: "Is more abuse being perpetrated?
"I don't have the evidence at this moment in time to prove this one way or another."
But he said the internet is being abused, adding: I can't help but think more abuse is being
perpetuated.
More research is needed to prove this one way or another.