The Guardian, 28th July 1990 (ocr)

'Nine killed' in child porn ring
Andrew Cult
SCOTLAND Yard detectives investigating child "snuff movies" and the murder of nine boys were last night hoping to question a number of men whom they suspect belonged to two paedophile rings operating in the Southeast.
It is understood that some of the youngsters may have been lured to par ties and their deaths recorded on video.
But yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Hames, head of Scotland Yard's child pornography unit, said: "To date we have not discovered any 'snuff movies'. We don't say they don't exist but we have not seized any."
The inquiry is closely linked to the murder of Jason Swift, aged 14, in Hackney, east London, in 1985. He was sexually abused and strangled during a male orgy.
Mr Hames said it had been rumoured that Jason's killing had been filmed but no copies of a video have been found.
Police were yesterday inundated with calls on a telephone hotline after appealing for information about the deaths of young boys during the making of films.
The inquiry, Operation Orchid, based at Stepney police station, east London, has been looking at the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of up to 20 boys in six years.
Last year, four men were sentenced to prison terms of between 13 and 19 years for the Manslaughter of Jason Swift.
In a separate development, Scotland Yard said a man is due to appear on Monday before a special sitting of Highbury Corner magistrates, north London, charged with the murder of Barry Lewis, aged six, front Walworth, south London, in 1985. The man is currently serving a prison sentence.
Barry Lewis's body was discovered in a field at Waltham Abbey, Essex, five days after the discovery of Jason's body, near Ongar, Essex.
Operation Orchid, which has been in progress for a year, is being led by Detective Chief Superintendent Roger Stoodley and Detective Chief Inspector David Easy. Yesterday, Mr Stoodley, speaking on BBC television's news, said: "My information at the moment is that nine boys have been murdered in cases of child sex abuse."
He believed two paedophile rings in east London and Kent, were behind the murders.
The investigation attracted attention two months ago when officers excavated the car park of a Jewish synagogue at Clap-ton, east London, searching for the body of a boy. The site was pointed out by a man serving a prison sentence for sex offences but the bone fragments which were found turned out to be animal remains.
Police said: "Investigations into the activities of other people are continuing."
Police urged anyone with information about the deaths of boys during the making of films dating back to 1989 to ring the hotline, 071488 6570.