UK police open murder inquiry in child sex abuse investigation

By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Police looking into accusations that powerful figures at the heart of the British establishment were involved in child sex abuse in the 1970s and 1980s said on Friday they were now investigating murder allegations. London detectives launched an inquiry two years ago into allegations about paedophile rings involving politicians, officials and other senior public figures. "Our inquiries into this, over subsequent weeks, have revealed further information regarding possible homicide," London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "Based on our current knowledge, this is the first time that this specific information has been passed to the Met." The statement added detectives would not comment on any speculation about any victim's identity or reveal more details. On Tuesday, a review into the disappearance of a dossier handed to the government 30 years ago which is believed to have implicated public figures in child abuse found there was no evidence it had been deliberately destroyed or kept from police. Prime Minister David Cameron said the review's findings meant people "who have been looking for conspiracy theories ... will have to look elsewhere." However, Home Secretary Theresa May, who has ordered an over-arching inquiry into allegations of nationwide historical child abuse, said the review did not rule out the possibility that allegations had been deliberately hushed up to protect powerful figures. "There might have been a cover-up, and that is why we have set up the inquiry into child abuse. We are determined to get to the truth," she told parliament on Tuesday. Simon Danczuk, one of the parliamentarians who has been campaigning to find out the extent of child abuse, has told Reuters at least 10 current or former lawmakers might have been involved in child abuse. "At the time, why weren’t there prosecutions? I think because of the power of the people that were committing the crimes - they were powerful figures," Danczuk said. "I think the intelligence services were involved. Then I think the front line police were warned off investigating some of these crimes." (Additonal reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)