PCC Paddy Tipping witness in Beechwood care home investigation

Beechwood Children's Home was run by the county and city councils and closed in 2008

A force investigating historic abuse at children's care homes has interviewed its own police and crime commissioner as a witness.

Nottinghamshire Police has received 105 complaints about abuse connected with the Beechwood home in Mapperley.

Paddy Tipping, the PCC, worked with social workers in the 1970s and has been interviewed by detectives as a potential witness.

A total of 12 people have been arrested during the investigation.

Operation Daybreak is investigating people connected with the former Beechwood home but several other homes in the county have been drawn into the inquiry.

Detectives said it was "one of the largest" criminal investigation in the force's history although they did not say how many officers were involved.

'Get it right'

Mr Tipping, who has already called for an independent review, said: "I was approached for information about the structure of social services 40 years ago, who worked for social services, their roles and more particularly for me to describe certain characters."

But he said it was unlikely he would be called to testify in court, admitting he did not know the people under investigation.

"After the police enquiry there needs to be an independent review," he said.

"I feel personally involved. I've worked with children and families in Nottinghamshire for 40 years. I want to get it right."

Since Operation Daybreak launched in 2010, detectives have investigated 91 separate allegations of abuse, dating back to the 1960s.

It has also emerged that four other former homes are being investigated as part of the operation - Laybrook in Mansfield; Three Roofs in Bestwood Park; Cobblestones in St Anns and Greencroft in Clifton, bringing the total to 13.