Cyril Smith arrest request ‘turned down by top officer’

A SENIOR police officer rejected attempts to obtain an arrest warrant for the late MP Cyril Smith on child abuse allegations because of fears of “political upheaval”, it was claimed yesterday.

Robert Glen, a former head of Scotland Yard’s vice squad, told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse that Smith was suspected of obscene acts with boys in the Seventies. The Liberal politician faced claims of paedophilia during his life, but was never convicted and died in 2010.

Prosecutors have since confirmed they have seen evidence that would have warranted a trial.

Mr Glen said details of Smith’s alleged offending in London’s West End had come from one of his sergeants.

He told the inquiry yesterday: “It was quite clear there was real evidence to suggest Cyril Smith was involved in some sort of obscenity with young boys. He was seen in the company of young boys; seen entering a property.”

Mr Glen said he sought permission for an arrest warrant from Chief Supt Neil Diver, who was the senior office in charge at the time. He said: “He was angry, he turned round and said I should never have got involved in it … it was far too sensitive and would cause political upheaval and we were told to stop.”

Mr Glen described being “very, very annoyed” and said he had tried to go over the head of Mr Diver – who has since died – by talking to his commander. No action was taken.

Mr Glen said he approached officers from Operation Yewtree when he saw reports about Smith’s alleged offending make headlines decades later.

However, a review of the investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct found neither of the officers who Mr Glen thought may have reported the matter to him had any memory of such an episode, despite their supposed willingness to proceed with the arrest.

The commander in question also disputed being approached by Mr Glen.

“Whilst the (Metropolitan Police Service holds intelligence records in relation to Smith, no information is held that links Smith to the investigation referred to by Glen,” the IOPC report into the complaint said.