Metropolitan police to investigate sexual abuse claims at London clubs | Football

Britain’s largest police force has launched an investigation into sex abuse claims involving London football clubs.

The Metropolitan police said a team of specialist officers from its sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command would probe allegations of “non-recent” crimes â€" but refused to say which clubs it was investigating.

“We take all the allegations we receive very seriously and they will be dealt with sensitively,” said DCS Ivan Balhatchet, who is part of the Met’s sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command. “Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, whatever the circumstances, or has any relevant information should contact their local police or the NSPCC.”

Football sex abuse scandal: how the story unfolded

The Met are the 22nd police force to investigate historical claims of sexual abuse in football, joining: Devon and Cornwall, Warwickshire, Avon and Somerset, Essex, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Dorset, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, North Wales, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Cheshire, West Midlands, South Wales, Dyfed-Powys, Scotland Yard, Police Scotland, Northumbria Police, Derbyshire Constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

More than 20 former footballers â€" including ex-youth players, trainees and professionals â€" have also come forward with allegations of abuse since former Crewe defender Andy Woodward waived his right to anonymity to say he was a victim of sexual abuse in an interview with the Guardian.

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Metropolitan police to investigate sex abuse claims at London clubs | Football

Britain’s largest police force has launched an investigation into sex abuse claims involving London football clubs.

The Metropolitan police said a team of specialist officers from its sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command would probe allegations of “non-recent” crimes â€" but refused to say which clubs it was investigating.

“We take all the allegations we receive very seriously and they will be dealt with sensitively,” said DCS Ivan Balhatchet, who is part of the Met’s sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command. “Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, whatever the circumstances, or has any relevant information should contact their local police or the NSPCC.”

The Met are the 22nd police force to investigate historical claims of sexual abuse in football, joining: Devon and Cornwall, Warwickshire, Avon and Somerset, Essex, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Dorset, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, North Wales, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Cheshire, West Midlands, South Wales, Dyfed-Powys, Scotland Yard, Police Scotland, Northumbria Police, Derbyshire Constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

More than 20 former footballers â€" including ex-youth players, trainees and professionals â€" have also come forward with allegations of abuse since former Crewe defender Andy Woodward waived his right to anonymity to say he was a victim of sexual abuse in an interview with the Guardian.

"

| Metropolitan | police | investigate | abuse | claims | London | clubs | Football | Britain’s | largest | force | launched | investigation | into | involving | London< | football | p> The | police< | said | team | specialist | officers | from | sexual | offences | exploitation | child | command | would | probe | allegations | “non | recent” | crimes | refused | which | investigating | p> “We | take | receive | very | seriously | they | will | dealt | with | sensitively | Ivan | Balhatchet | part | Met’s | “Anyone | been | victim | whatever | circumstances | relevant | information | should | contact | their | local | NSPCC | ”< | 22nd | historical | joining: | Devon | Cornwall | Warwickshire | Avon | Somerset | Essex | Norfolk | North | Yorkshire | Dorset | Staffordshire | Greater | Manchester | Wales | Cambridgeshire | Hampshire | Cheshire | West | Midlands | South | Dyfed | Powys | Scotland | Yard | Police | Northumbria | Derbyshire | Constabulary | Police< | Service | Northern | Ireland | p> More | than | former | footballers | including | youth | players | trainees | professionals | have | also | come | forward | since | Crewe | defender | Andy | Woodward | waived | right | anonymity | interview | Guardian< | p> |

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Football sex abuse: Met Police launches investigation

Image copyright Thinkstock

The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into allegations of historical sexual abuse in football at clubs in London.

A dedicated team of officers from the Met's sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command will work alongside Operation Hydrant.

Hundreds of people have reported abuse to UK police so far, the National Police Chief's Council said.

The Met is not discussing the number of allegations or the clubs involved.

Det Ch Supt Ivan Balhatchet from the Met said the force takes allegations seriously and they "will be dealt with sensitively".

"Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, whatever the circumstances, or has any relevant information, should contact their local police or the NSPCC," he added.

Football clubs across the UK have been implicated in a growing number of child sex abuse allegations.

Child sex abuse claims - story so far

The Met's announcement comes as the Football Association has been criticised for "dismissing" concerns about sexual abuse in football when they emerged in the 1990s.

A dedicated football abuse hotline set up by the NSPCC received more than 860 calls since it was set up about two weeks ago.

The phone line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 023 2642.

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Police forces investigating allegations:

• North Wales
• North Yorkshire
• Dorset
• Staffordshire
• Greater Manchester
• Cambridgeshire
• Hampshire
• Cheshire
• Northumbria
• Metropolitan
• Police Scotland
• Avon and Somerset
• Essex
• Norfolk
• Derbyshire
• Warwickshire
• Devon and Cornwall
• South Wales
• Dyfed-Powys
• PSNI

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