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| Lord Bramall accuses police of witch-hunt over Operation Midland claims | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lord Bramall has accused police of conducting a witch-hunt against him after being told by detectives investigating child sexual abuse allegations that he would face no further action. | Lord Bramall has accused police of conducting a witch-hunt against him after being told by detectives investigating child sexual abuse allegations that he would face no further action. |
| The 92-year-old former chief of defence staff and Normandy veteran was interviewed under caution last April by Metropolitan police officers working on Operation Midland. | The 92-year-old former chief of defence staff and Normandy veteran was interviewed under caution last April by Metropolitan police officers working on Operation Midland. |
| Bramall said there had never been a credible case against him. “None of the allegations had a grain of truth in them. I think they were being heavy-handed,” he told the Telegraph. | Bramall said there had never been a credible case against him. “None of the allegations had a grain of truth in them. I think they were being heavy-handed,” he told the Telegraph. |
| “They are under such pressure, the police, because of what happened over Jimmy Savile; the thing has developed into a witch-hunt. They searched my house and then interviewed me under caution and then the media had a field day with it.” | “They are under such pressure, the police, because of what happened over Jimmy Savile; the thing has developed into a witch-hunt. They searched my house and then interviewed me under caution and then the media had a field day with it.” |
| Bramall added: “It was all based on statements which were … bizarre and outrageous and grotesque.” | Bramall added: “It was all based on statements which were … bizarre and outrageous and grotesque.” |
| He described the experience as “really awful”, telling the Times: “I think it’s a terrible thing for someone of my age, with an impeccable record of public service … only now, very grudgingly, do they [the police] say they don’t propose to take any action. | He described the experience as “really awful”, telling the Times: “I think it’s a terrible thing for someone of my age, with an impeccable record of public service … only now, very grudgingly, do they [the police] say they don’t propose to take any action. |
| “To have these awful, entirely untrue allegations hanging over one’s head, without the police saying there is not a grain of truth in them, is really awful.” | “To have these awful, entirely untrue allegations hanging over one’s head, without the police saying there is not a grain of truth in them, is really awful.” |
| Anthony Stansfeld, the Thames Valley police and crime commissioner who served under Bramall, strongly criticised the police investigation. “This is a man who has commanded our nuclear deterrent; was in charge of all our armed forces,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday. | Anthony Stansfeld, the Thames Valley police and crime commissioner who served under Bramall, strongly criticised the police investigation. “This is a man who has commanded our nuclear deterrent; was in charge of all our armed forces,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday. |
| “He would have been surrounded by staff, he would have had a very, very detailed diary of every day. It is utterly inconceivable and the slightest investigation would have shown that. | “He would have been surrounded by staff, he would have had a very, very detailed diary of every day. It is utterly inconceivable and the slightest investigation would have shown that. |
| “Instead they seem to have barged into the house of a 92-year-old. His wife was dying of Alzheimer’s in the house – she subsequently died. The victim in this entirely is Field Marshal the Lord Bramall.” | “Instead they seem to have barged into the house of a 92-year-old. His wife was dying of Alzheimer’s in the house – she subsequently died. The victim in this entirely is Field Marshal the Lord Bramall.” |
| Bramall, as Field Marshal Edwin Bramall, was head of the British army during the Falklands war, before being promoted to the top military post. | Bramall, as Field Marshal Edwin Bramall, was head of the British army during the Falklands war, before being promoted to the top military post. |
| The journalist and author Sir Max Hastings told Today: “There are two sets of potential victims here … Lord Bramall has been through absolute hell. | The journalist and author Sir Max Hastings told Today: “There are two sets of potential victims here … Lord Bramall has been through absolute hell. |
| “[The police] won’t say sorry … This is not good enough.” | “[The police] won’t say sorry … This is not good enough.” |