This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/11/met-chief-defends-sex-abuse-investigation-lord-bramall-hogan-howe

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Met chief defends sex abuse investigation into Lord Bramall Met chief defends sex abuse investigation into Lord Bramall
(35 minutes later)
The head of the Metropolitan police have defended the widely criticised investigation into allegation of sex abuse against former field marshall Lord Bramall. The head of the Metropolitan police has defended the widely criticised investigation into allegation of sex abuse against former field marshall Lord Bramall.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe refused to apologise to Bramall but acknowledged that the Met could learn from the case.Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe refused to apologise to Bramall but acknowledged that the Met could learn from the case.
The Met commissioner was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme after explaining in the Guardian why the London force had announced an inquiry into its handling of historical allegations of sexual abuse against public figures.The Met commissioner was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme after explaining in the Guardian why the London force had announced an inquiry into its handling of historical allegations of sexual abuse against public figures.
Hogan-Howe said: “I can’t really apologise for investigating a serious allegation. I have expressed regret and it’s genuine regret, if he, Lord Bramall, or his family have been damaged in this investigation. I have asked Sir Richard Henriques to review this and other cases to see if there are things we can learn from it.”Hogan-Howe said: “I can’t really apologise for investigating a serious allegation. I have expressed regret and it’s genuine regret, if he, Lord Bramall, or his family have been damaged in this investigation. I have asked Sir Richard Henriques to review this and other cases to see if there are things we can learn from it.”
The Met chief said the media had presented a distorted view of the Bramall investigation, and suggested more would come out during the Henriques inquiry. “In public people have heard part of the investigation. What would be best is that if people heard the investigators point of view and then we’ll get a balanced account. I don’t think at the moment we are getting that,” he said. The Met chief said the media had presented a distorted view of the Bramall investigation, and suggested more would come out during the Henriques inquiry. “In public people have heard part of the investigation. What would be best is that if people heard the investigators’ point of view and then we’ll get a balanced account. I don’t think at the moment we are getting that,” he said.
“It maybe that he [Henriques] discovers that there were things that aren’t in the public domain that affected the way the investigation went forward, which didn’t help Lord Bramall, but was necessary for the investigation.”“It maybe that he [Henriques] discovers that there were things that aren’t in the public domain that affected the way the investigation went forward, which didn’t help Lord Bramall, but was necessary for the investigation.”
Hogan-Howe also denied that the police had tipped off the press that Bramall was under investigation. He said it was completely wrong to suggest that the media were given a steer about Bramall’s identity.Hogan-Howe also denied that the police had tipped off the press that Bramall was under investigation. He said it was completely wrong to suggest that the media were given a steer about Bramall’s identity.
“We never put into the public domain [anything] about a field marshall [being under investigation], said the commissioner. “We didn’t put the names of the suspects into the public domain and that’s caused real problems for the investigation. So it’s a good idea to get a retired senior judge to look at this.”“We never put into the public domain [anything] about a field marshall [being under investigation], said the commissioner. “We didn’t put the names of the suspects into the public domain and that’s caused real problems for the investigation. So it’s a good idea to get a retired senior judge to look at this.”
Challenged on why 20 Met officers had conducted a dawn raid on Bramall’s home, he said: “If we are going to search a property, it will take more than one officer. If we are going to do it properly it will take many.”Challenged on why 20 Met officers had conducted a dawn raid on Bramall’s home, he said: “If we are going to search a property, it will take more than one officer. If we are going to do it properly it will take many.”
Hogan-Howe acknowledge that believing allegations of historical abuse had confused officers, saying: “Perhaps there is a tendency to think we will always believe any complaint and that’s not wise for any investigator.”Hogan-Howe acknowledge that believing allegations of historical abuse had confused officers, saying: “Perhaps there is a tendency to think we will always believe any complaint and that’s not wise for any investigator.”
He added: “We are now being accused of being witch hunters and doing it in a very inappropriate way. I’m prepared to look at and that’s why I’ve set up this review. He added: “We are now being accused of being witch hunters and doing it in a very inappropriate way. I’m prepared to look at [that allegation] and that’s why I’ve set up this review.
“I didn’t set up this inquiry to divert attention from me, I set up this inquiry because I genuinely think it is the right thing to do.” “I didn’t set up this inquiry to divert attention from me; I set up this inquiry because I genuinely think it is the right thing to do.”