‘A shameful episode in the history of the BBC’

yet another independent inquiry into the actions of Bashir.

The revelations come four months after a devastating inquiry by Lord Dyson, a former Supreme Court Justice, ruled that the BBC covered up the deception Bashir deployed to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana.

Bashir’s earlier investigation into the 1986 Babes In The Wood killings, carried out when he worked for Public Eye, a BBC2 documentary series, has so far escaped major scrutiny.

But now The Mail on Sunday can reveal how:

• The disgraced reporter is also alleged to have attempted to obtain the clothing of Nicola Fellows, but her appalled family refused;

• A senior detective who investigated the murders said Karen Hadaway’s clothes may have contained crucial forensic ‘intelligence’ that could have aided officers;

• An explosive 50-page dossier of documents detailing what BBC bosses knew about Bashir’s investigation into the Babes In The Wood murders has now been sent to directorgeneral Tim Davie;