An ex-Scotland Yard detective has claimed the Metropolitan Police intentionally “hushed up” the murders of 16 people by a Clapham Common drifter who pushed people in front of tube trains.

Former officer Geoff Platt, who lists working as a bodyguard to the Queen among his postings, has published a book claiming double murderer Kiernan Kelly admitted to the killings in 1984 when questioned over the slaying of his Wandsworth Prison cell mate William Boyd.

A spokesman from the British Transport Police said it was aware of the claims and has invited Mr Platt to submit any information he has. A meeting has been scheduled between the two on Friday.

Speaking to the Wandsworth Guardian, Mr Platt said Kelly was a practising homosexual who pushed his best friend Christie Smith under a train while visiting for the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

According to Mr Platt, Mr Smith asked Kelly if he was married, which lead the killer to believing his secret was out.

Mr Platt, who published the full account in the book, called The London Underground Serial Killer, said: “Kelly went into a blind panic and while waiting for the last train back at Tooting Bec station, he heard the train coming and realised the solutions to his problems.”

He said Kelly gave Mr Smith “a hearty shove”, forcing him under the oncoming train. When he was picked up by police for an incident a few weeks later and they made no mention of the murder, “he realised he had got away with it”.

Platt claimed Kelly, a vegrant often seen on Clapham Common, could not get the thoughts of murdering his best friend out of his head and in the time between 1953 and 1983 murdered another 15 people in the same manner.

According to the former police officer, Kelly was investigated for the killings he admitted to, but was acquitted of eight of them.

Despite the severity and alarming number of murders, the police decided not to broadcast the story, claimed Platt, with the Home Office informing police chiefs not to speak to the media to prevent mass panic.

He said: “They were concerned that people wouldn’t want to commute on the Northern Line and wanted to avoid mass panic, so a decision was made to not speak to the media.

“There is a judgement call from time to time, I’ve worked with politicians and the royal family, and of course not everything is announced. From time to time a decision comes from above and you have to obey that decision.”

A spokesperson from the British Transport Police said: “We are aware of the claims included in this book, but given the passage of time since they are alleged to have been committed these would prove difficult to substantiate without further evidence.

“We would invite Mr Platt to submit any information he has on these matters to us.”