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Met officers will not face action over VIP child abuse inquiry Met handling of Operation Midland sparks 'concern' in government
(about 5 hours later)
Police hunting a bogus VIP paedophile ring found their main witness was so credible that they wanted to arrest the former home secretary Leon Brittan, a report has revealed. There is “concern and dissatisfaction” at senior levels of the government about the Metropolitan police leadership’s handling of the disastrous investigation into an alleged VIP paedophile ring, according to sources.
The report from the the Independent Office for Police Conduct, released on Monday, decided no officer should face disciplinary action over the botched Scotland Yard investigation into bogus claims of a VIP child abuse ring, triggering claims of a whitewash. The furore forced the Met commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, to make her first remarks on the fallout from Operation Midland, and the police watchdog attracted intense criticism for a report clearing officers of deliberately misleading a judge to get search warrants and saying none deserved to face disciplinary action.
The investigation, known as Operation Midland, targeted establishment figures including Lord Brittan, the former military chief Edwin Bramall and the former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor. The Metropolitan police now accepts that all three men are innocent and falsely accused by Carl Beech, originally known as “Nick”, who in July was jailed for 18 years for his lies. Dick’s position as commissioner had looked secure, but as the row has refused to die away, confidence in her has been shaken within Boris Johnson’s government, sources say.
The home secretary, Priti Patel, has already used her powers to “intervene” and order in inspectors to check up on Britain’s biggest force, concerned that public confidence was in jeopardy.
Operation Midland targeted establishment figures including Lord Brittan, the former military chief Lord Bramall and the former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor between 2014 and 2016. The Metropolitan police now accept that all three men are innocent and were falsely accused by Carl Beech, originally known as “Nick”, who in July was jailed for 18 years for his lies.
The criminal investigation into Beech and his claims began only after a report by Sir Richard Henriques on Midland, which the last Met commissioner, Lord Hogan-Howe, ordered when the £2.5m investigation collapsed.
Henriques called for action against officers over “misleading” a judge to gain warrants, but on Monday the watchdog, the IOPC, released a report rejecting the retired judge’s calls, triggering claims of a whitewash.
Dick retains the confidence of the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and is appointed on a joint decision between him and the home secretary. In her first comments since the furore intensified after a fuller version of Henriques’s report was released on Friday, Dick said her force had to learn lessons but remained committed to pursuing claims of sexual abuse.
Dick said: “It is imperative that police investigate child abuse, whether historical or contemporary, with confidence and professionalism. These are some of our toughest inquiries but we remain determined to approach them with absolute integrity.
“I recognise our mistakes will have a lasting effect on those who endured intrusive inquiries and were thrust into the spotlight. For some this is an issue that has fundamentally damaged their trust in us. This is a matter of great regret for me.
“But I am determined that, while learning from the past, our focus will not be distracted from the urgent policing challenges we face now and in the future.”
The IOPC report revealed that detectives believed their main witness was so credible that they wanted to arrest former home secretary Brittan.
Operation Midland was set up by the Metropolitan police in November 2014 to examine allegations of child sexual abuse and homicide. It was based on false claims by Carl Beech, known as "Nick", that he was abused by public figures of authority from 1975 to 1984, and witnessed the abuse of others.Operation Midland was set up by the Metropolitan police in November 2014 to examine allegations of child sexual abuse and homicide. It was based on false claims by Carl Beech, known as "Nick", that he was abused by public figures of authority from 1975 to 1984, and witnessed the abuse of others.
He made widely reported false allegations about being taken to parties at exclusive private members’ clubs, in Dolphin Square in London and other locations – including swimming pools – attended by among others the former prime minister Sir Edward Heath, the former home secretary Leon Brittan, the then chief of defence staff Lord Bramall, the ex-MI5 chief Sir Michael Hanley, as well as the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor.He made widely reported false allegations about being taken to parties at exclusive private members’ clubs, in Dolphin Square in London and other locations – including swimming pools – attended by among others the former prime minister Sir Edward Heath, the former home secretary Leon Brittan, the then chief of defence staff Lord Bramall, the ex-MI5 chief Sir Michael Hanley, as well as the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor.
Operation MIdland was closed in March 2016 with no charges brought. Beech was jailed for 18 years in July 2019 for making the claims. He is appealing against the conviction and the sentence. Operation MIdland was closed in March 2016 with no charges brought. Beech was jailed for 18 years in July 2019 for making the claims. He is appealing against the conviction and the sentence. 
A 2016 report into the investigation said it was ‘riddled with errors’, identifying 43 individual errors made by officers, that the team misled a judge to get search warrants, and finding that five officers, including four detectives and a deputy assistant commissioner, would be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for failings.A 2016 report into the investigation said it was ‘riddled with errors’, identifying 43 individual errors made by officers, that the team misled a judge to get search warrants, and finding that five officers, including four detectives and a deputy assistant commissioner, would be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for failings.
The report describes how police came to apply for search warrants, leading to property linked to Brittan being raided after his death. Police were accused of misleading a judge to get them by omitting mention of inconsistencies in Nick’s account. The report described how police came to apply for search warrants, leading to property linked to Brittan being raided after his death. Police were accused of misleading a judge to get the warrants by omitting mention of inconsistencies in Nick’s account.
The IOPC said a Met police chief, deputy assistant commissioner Steve Rodhouse, wrote that among reasons to apply for the warrants was “a perceived failure to investigate Nick’s allegations being damaging to the MPS and the confidence of further victims”. The IOPC said a Met police chief, deputy assistant commissioner Steve Rodhouse, wrote that among reasons to apply for the warrants was “a perceived failure to investigate Nick’s allegations being damaging to the [Met] and the confidence of further victims”.
It reveals the decision log of DCI Diane Tudway, who wrote on 23 January 2015, the day after Brittan’s death: “Whilst he has now passed away, he remains a suspect for the purpose of this enquiry. It revealed the decision log of DCI Diane Tudway, who wrote on 23 January 2015, the day after Brittan’s death: “Whilst he has now passed away, he remains a suspect for the purpose of this inquiry. Had he not passed away he would have been subject to a decision to arrest.”
“Had he not passed away he would have been subject to a decision to arrest. Whilst arrest will now not happen I have grounds to believe that there were indictable offences committed, that there is material at those premises which will be of substantive value to the investigation either by way of a record of events, photographs or videos.” The IOPC report showed Rodhouse approved the decision to seek search warrants. It said: “It is outlined that the purpose of the searches would be to locate and secure any evidence to ‘corroborate (or discredit)’ the allegations made by ‘Nick’.
Tudway’s decision log continued: “I understand this is a time of mourning for LB’s [Lord Brittan’s] family, this plan will be HR [human rights] compliant.”
The report says a decision was made to “offer a voluntary interview to Lord Bramall and Mr Proctor rather than to arrest”.
The detail of the IOPC report shows the decision to seek search warrants was approved by Rodhouse: “It is outlined that the purpose of the searches would be to locate and secure any evidence to ‘corroborate (or discredit)’ the allegations made by ‘Nick’.
“During the consideration of his decision, he wrote that, despite the lack of corroboration, the investigation had not revealed any cause to disbelieve ‘Nick’. DAC Rodhouse recorded that ‘Nick’ had remained consistent and detailed in his accounts and that he had been told that the inquiry team and his counsellor believed him to be credible.”“During the consideration of his decision, he wrote that, despite the lack of corroboration, the investigation had not revealed any cause to disbelieve ‘Nick’. DAC Rodhouse recorded that ‘Nick’ had remained consistent and detailed in his accounts and that he had been told that the inquiry team and his counsellor believed him to be credible.”
The IOPC said it had found “shortcomings and organisational failings”, with 16 recommendations made to change policing practice. But it said it found no evidence officers had deliberately misled a district court judge when it applied for search warrants in February 2015 to raid the home of suspects who turned out to be innocent. The police watchdog’s inaction over the VIP child abuse inquiry is a disgrace | Simon Jenkins
Officers on Midland believed the search warrants were “the least intrusive way in which the investigation could progress”, the report says. The IOPC said it had found “shortcomings and organisational failings”, with 16 recommendations made to change policing practice.
On the application for the search warrants, police wrote in a section where they had to say why they believed offences had been committed: “The victim in this matter has been interviewed at length by experienced officers from the child abuse investigation team. His account has remained consistent and he is felt to be a credible witness who is telling the truth.” The watchdog said during its inquiry the detectives could not remember why certain decisions were made and it was not clear whether those in command knew of an earlier complaint from Beech, made to Wiltshire police, which contained inconsistencies compared with what he told the Met two years later.
The IOPC says during its inquiry, the detectives could not remember why certain decisions were made and it was not clear whether those in command knew of an earlier complaint from Beech, made to Wiltshire police, which contained inconsistencies compared with what he told the Met two years later. The IOPC inquiry began after the Metropolitan police referred five officers who had been involved in Operation Midland to the police watchdog. Only one answered questions face-to-face, two had retired, and Rodhouse and Det Supt Kenny McDonald were assessed by the IOPC as not requiring full investigation for any disciplinary or criminal matters.
The report says Rodhouse wrote that reasons for applying for search warrants at an early stage included: “The high degree of public interest … The allegations, and the named subjects were already well-known to the media … Nick himself having direct access to the media … A perceived failure to investigate ‘Nick’s’ allegations being damaging to the MPS and the confidence of further victims.” The high-profile Met investigation targeted establishment figures alleged to have been involved in a child sexual abuse and murder ring, which turned out to be a fabrication from a fantasist. The investigation ended with no arrests.
The IOPC inquiry began after the Metropolitan police referred five officers who had been involved in Operation Midland to the police watchdog. Only one answered questions face to face, two had retired and Rodhouse and Det Supt Kenny McDonald were assessed by the IOPC as not requiring full investigation for any discipline or criminal matters. Henriques’s report castigated the force and found 43 errors, the key one of which was said to be misleading the judge to get warrants to search the suspects’ homes.
The high-profile Met investigation ran from 2014 to 2016 and hunted for establishment figures alleged to have been involved in a child sexual abuse and murder ring, which turned out to be based on lies from a fantasist. It ended with no arrests. The director general of the IOPC, Michael Lockwood, said: “Did the officers involved make mistakes? Yes. Could police processes have been improved? Almost certainly. But did they deliberately exclude information to secure the warrants? Our investigation found no evidence of that.”
The Met has paid compensation to Bramall and to Brittan’s family but has yet to finalise a deal with Proctor. Proctor criticised the watchdog’s findings, saying: “This report shows the IOPC is worse than useless. It actually defends the police against the authoritative findings of Henriques because they wanted to boost public confidence in themselves.
A report commissioned for the Met and carried out by the retired judge Sir Richard Henriques castigated the force and found 43 errors. The key error, Henriques said, was that police misled a judge to get warrants to search suspects’ homes.
Michael Lockwood, the director general of the IOPC, said: “Did the officers involved make mistakes? Yes. Could police processes have been improved? Almost certainly. But did they deliberately exclude information to secure the warrants? Our investigation found no evidence of that.
“The IOPC is very clear that there must be accountability and assurance to the public that the weaknesses we have identified are addressed so these mistakes can never be repeated. Our report makes 16 recommendations for the MPS and other stakeholders in the police and criminal justice system.”
Proctor, one of Operation Midland’s targets, criticised the police watchdog’s findings, saying: “This report shows the IOPC is worse than useless. It actually defends the police against the authoritative findings of Henriques because they wanted to boost public confidence in themselves.
“The home secretary should remove the IOPC director general and the IOPC must be abolished and replaced by experts who are genuinely qualified to assess and to criticise police failings. We now know the police watchdog is blind.”“The home secretary should remove the IOPC director general and the IOPC must be abolished and replaced by experts who are genuinely qualified to assess and to criticise police failings. We now know the police watchdog is blind.”
Henriques also criticised the IOPC’s findings before the police watchdog published its report, writing in the Daily Mail: “Maintenance of law and order depends upon the effective oversight of those invested with power. Who guards the guards themselves? A malfunctioning police force has not received the necessary oversight.”
Henriques claimed the IOPC investigator who conducted the case “informed me she had no legal training [and] was not fully aware of the process for obtaining warrants”.
The retired judge added: “The investigative process itself was minimal, unprofessional and the decision-making was flawed.”
In her first comments since the furore intensified after a fuller version Henriques’s report was released on Friday, Met commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said her force had to learn lessons but remained committed to pursuing claims of historic sexual abuse.
Dick said: "“It is imperative that police investigate child abuse, whether historic or contemporary, with confidence and professionalism. These are some of our toughest inquiries but we remain determined to approach them with absolute integrity.
“I recognise our mistakes will have a lasting effect on those who endured intrusive inquiries and were thrust into the spotlight. For some this is an issue that has fundamentally damaged their trust in us. This is a matter of great regret for me.
“But I am determined that while learning from the past our focus will not be distracted from the urgent policing challenges we face now and in the future.”
The home secretary, Priti Patel, has asked the inspectorate of constabulary to check the Met is carrying out reforms recommended by both the IOPC and Henriques.
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