Police should be investigated for VIP abuse home searches, says judge

‘I remain unable to conclude that every officer acted with due diligence and in good faith’, Sir Richard Henriques says

The police officers who were involved in the investigation into the existence of an alleged murderous VIP paedophile ring should be investigated, a former High Court judge has said.

Sir Richard Henriques said he believes warrants to search the properties of high-profile figures were “obtained unlawfully”.

Three years ago, his review of the investigation found more than 40 areas of concern stemming from the actions of officers involved in Operation Midland.

The operation was based on the allegations of Carl Beech, who lied to police through hours of interviews in which he claimed he had been sadistically abused by famous people from the worlds of politics, the armed forces and security services.

His claims prompted the Metropolitan Police to launch Operation Midland, which cost £2m and resulted in no arrests.

Sir Richard has now said in a comment piece published by the Daily Mail that he maintained the opinion expressed in his review, saying that the warrants authorising the searches of the homes of Lord Edwin Bramall, Lady Diana Brittan and Harvey Proctor “were obtained unlawfully”.

Sir Richard wrote that three applications for search warrants stated Beech’s allegations had been consistent, but he had not found that to be the case.

He added: “I remain unable to conclude that every officer acted with due diligence and in good faith.

“I concluded in 2016 – and I remain of the view – that the officers responsible for the three applications did not in fact fully believe that there were reasonable grounds to believe Beech’s allegations.”

Beech claimed to have been extensively abused as a child (PA)

The allegations of Beech, formerly known as “Nick”, to Wiltshire Police in 2012 were “inconsistent” with those made to the Metropolitan Police in 2014 and with blogs published by Beech in 2014, Sir Richard said.

“Thus the course of justice was perverted with shocking consequences. A criminal investigation should surely follow.”

Beech, 51, was last week given an 18-year prison sentence for 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud.

Former Tory MP Mr Proctor has since described the investigation as a “truly disgraceful chapter in the history of British policing”.

Carl Beech interviewed by police in Crown Prosecution Service video played in court (PA)

Following a two-month trial at the Newcastle Crown Court, Mr Justice James Goss said of the police: “No doubt you were encouraged by their apparent willingness at that time to accept the truthfulness of your account.”

The judge said that, as a result of Beech’s allegations, a “dark cloud of suspicion” had hung over those he falsely accused, as well as their families.

Last week the Independent Office for Police Conduct said no officers would face misconduct charges over the case.