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Officers investigating non-recent sexual abuse at soccer clubs in London have said they are looking into 255 allegations involving 77 clubs or teams, including the capital’s five Premier League clubs, the Metropolitan Police said.
The investigating team, with officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said they had received 255 separate allegations of historical sexual abuse.
It is understood all five of London’s Premier League teams – Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and West Ham – are involved in the investigation.
“The allegations are connected with individuals at 77 named clubs or teams,” a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said. “The breakdown for those clubs is: five in the Premiership, three against Championship clubs, three against clubs in Leagues One and Two . . . there have also been 66 other named clubs which would include non-league or non-professional or amateur teams.”
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Detective Chief Superintendent Ivan Balhatchet, of the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: “The Met take all allegations seriously, and specialist officers will work through the information passed to them.
“Anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault should contact their local force or call the NSPCC helpline on 0800-0232642.
“The Met will not be giving a commentary as this investigation develops and is not discussing the names of the clubs involved or the number of allegations against each club.”
Earlier this month, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), which is co-ordinating the nationwide police investigation Operation Hydrant, said more than 500 complainants and 184 potential suspects had been identified by police investigating soccer’s child sex abuse scandal.
The inquiry involves up to 248 clubs, spanning all tiers of the game from the Premier League down to amateur level. Latest figures show the total number of potential victims standing at 526, with 97 per cent identified as male. Their ages range from 20 to four.
– (PA)