Hackney Gazette, 26th June 1987 (ocr)

DETECTIVES. STUDY POSSIBLE LINK WITH CHILD.SEX RING
Police may be close to identifying Jason's killers
By JOHN DILLON
DETECTIVES investigating a child sex ring may he close to identifying the killers of Hackney teenager Jason Swift.
They think the 14-year-old from the Woodberry Down Estate was murdered two years ago by members of a secret paedophile "club" based in a shop in Mare Street, Hackney.
The Gazette revealed last week that police have smashed an organisation operating in the borough to provide men with children as young as live years old for sex sessions.
Six men have so far been charged and more arrests are expected..
Divorced
Jason's naked body was found in a shallow grave in woods in Essex in November 1985. He had been strangled.
He lived with his divorced mother and three brothers at Selwood Housed, Woodberry Down, although he went missing in July 1985 from his sister's flat on Homerton's Kingsmead estate.
Jason was homosexually abused at some time before his death and police believe he may have been lured into working as a gay rent boy.
Members of the Hackney-based paedophile gang persuaded teenagers to become male prostitutes after winning their confidence with gifts. They also procured younger children by becoming friendly with parents and babysitting for them.
Det Inspector Bob Brown, of Hackney CID, said: "There are certainly common factors between the investigations into child sex activities and those into the murder of Jason Swift.
"Naturally, we are studying them although we have discovered nothing conclusive yet."
The investigations have also been linked with the killing of six-year-old Barry Lewis, from Deptford, whose body was found near to Jason's at Waltham Abbey in September 1985.
• Two weeks ago at the Old Bailey, four Hackney men were jailed as part of a gang of homosexuals who preyed on young boys in south London.