Labour’s John Mann, who has campaigned to uncover details of a Westminster paedophile ring operating in the 1970s and 80s, said he expected police to swoop in the New Year.
The news came as it emerged former policemen who have investigated the abuse network have been warned they could be arrested for breaching the Official Secrets Act if they speak out now.
There are calls for the retired officers to be given an amnesty from prosecution if they reveal what they know.
We can reveal that ex-Special Branch detective Tony Robinson says he received warnings about repeating facts relating to disgraced Liberal MP Cyril Smith and over his monitoring of other politicians.
Tony, 81, now retired and in poor health, said he was “shocked and surprised” by warnings from his old bosses at Lancashire Police.
He said they told him his knowledge was still protected by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), adding that he should not speak to the media.
Tony, who retired more than 20 years ago, said: “I took this call from a man at my old HQ telling me not to speak about things from years ago.
“I could hardly believe it.
"They have not been in touch for years and then to threaten me or point out that I am still covered by the OSA was ridiculous.
“The whole incident has stressed me out – I’m not well and can’t be doing with all this.”
Tony was the officer who found Cyril Smith’s prosecution files “deliberately hidden” in a Special Branch safe in Preston in the early 1970s.
Smith, who died in 2010, had been accused of numerous sex offences against children over decades.
Records of incidents were allegedly covered up.
Smith was never charged despite several police probes.
Last night Mr Mann, MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, said he expected politicians to be “arrested and charged”.
“There can no longer be any doubt at all that powerful people have done terrible things and they have been protected by the Establishment”
Zac Goldsmith, Tory MP
He said: “There have been a lot of leads and information received from London and Nottingham from victims, which I have passed on to the police.
“They have been investigated and I am certain arrests will be made soon – and long before the next election.”
The MP also condemned attempts to gag former police.
Mr Mann added: “I’m disgusted at the treatment given to Mr Robinson.
"He should never have been put in that position with bullying and intimidation.
“I am quite prepared to take up this issue with the Home Secretary Theresa May and the shadow minister Yvette Cooper.
Mr Mann’s Labour colleague Simon Danczuk, the MP for Rochdale, last week made a plea for an amnesty to help past and present officials with any knowledge of sexual abuse.
On Thursday in a Commons debate on historical child abuse, Mr Danczuk said: “A large number of police officers, both retired and serving, have information to give. We simply need to get the full picture and to get those people to speak at an inquiry.
“The Home Secretary must ensure there is a full amnesty for any officer so that they are not worried about the Official Secrets Act or their pensions.”
Tory MP Zac Goldsmith said in the debate: “There can no longer be any doubt at all that powerful people have done terrible things and they have been protected by the Establishment.”
Mr Danczuk added: “The network organised child abuse and conspired to protect each of its members from exposure.
“Cyril Smith was certainly part of it. During my own inquiries Smith was found to be the subject of multiple police investigations – all of which were dropped.
“There are many examples of retired police officers offering powerful testimony to me about past investigations of child abuse.
“They were shut down once it was apparent high-profile politicians and other Establishment figures were involved.
“Questions must be asked why those investigations did not continue.”
The news came as it emerged former policemen who have investigated the abuse network have been warned they could be arrested for breaching the Official Secrets Act if they speak out now.
There are calls for the retired officers to be given an amnesty from prosecution if they reveal what they know.
 |
| Labour MP John Mann |
Tony, 81, now retired and in poor health, said he was “shocked and surprised” by warnings from his old bosses at Lancashire Police.
He said they told him his knowledge was still protected by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), adding that he should not speak to the media.
Tony, who retired more than 20 years ago, said: “I took this call from a man at my old HQ telling me not to speak about things from years ago.
“I could hardly believe it.
"They have not been in touch for years and then to threaten me or point out that I am still covered by the OSA was ridiculous.
“The whole incident has stressed me out – I’m not well and can’t be doing with all this.”
Tony was the officer who found Cyril Smith’s prosecution files “deliberately hidden” in a Special Branch safe in Preston in the early 1970s.
 |
| Cyril Smith - pedophile |
Records of incidents were allegedly covered up.
Smith was never charged despite several police probes.
Last night Mr Mann, MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, said he expected politicians to be “arrested and charged”.
“There can no longer be any doubt at all that powerful people have done terrible things and they have been protected by the Establishment”
Zac Goldsmith, Tory MP
He said: “There have been a lot of leads and information received from London and Nottingham from victims, which I have passed on to the police.
“They have been investigated and I am certain arrests will be made soon – and long before the next election.”
The MP also condemned attempts to gag former police.
Mr Mann added: “I’m disgusted at the treatment given to Mr Robinson.
"He should never have been put in that position with bullying and intimidation.
“I am quite prepared to take up this issue with the Home Secretary Theresa May and the shadow minister Yvette Cooper.
 |
| Simon Danczuk |
On Thursday in a Commons debate on historical child abuse, Mr Danczuk said: “A large number of police officers, both retired and serving, have information to give. We simply need to get the full picture and to get those people to speak at an inquiry.
“The Home Secretary must ensure there is a full amnesty for any officer so that they are not worried about the Official Secrets Act or their pensions.”
Tory MP Zac Goldsmith said in the debate: “There can no longer be any doubt at all that powerful people have done terrible things and they have been protected by the Establishment.”
Mr Danczuk added: “The network organised child abuse and conspired to protect each of its members from exposure.
“Cyril Smith was certainly part of it. During my own inquiries Smith was found to be the subject of multiple police investigations – all of which were dropped.
“There are many examples of retired police officers offering powerful testimony to me about past investigations of child abuse.
“They were shut down once it was apparent high-profile politicians and other Establishment figures were involved.
“Questions must be asked why those investigations did not continue.”
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