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| Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to meet Lord Brittan's widow | Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to meet Lord Brittan's widow |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police commissioner is due to meet the widow of Lord Brittan later to discuss the investigation of a rape claim against the late peer. | The Metropolitan Police commissioner is due to meet the widow of Lord Brittan later to discuss the investigation of a rape claim against the late peer. |
| Police interviewed Lord Brittan about the claim in 2014 but he died last year before the inquiry had ended. | |
| In the private meeting, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe is expected to be questioned about the length of time Scotland Yard took to conclude its investigation. | In the private meeting, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe is expected to be questioned about the length of time Scotland Yard took to conclude its investigation. |
| Lord Brittan had denied the historical allegation against him. | Lord Brittan had denied the historical allegation against him. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service advised the police in August 2013 that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution over the claim that Lord Brittan had raped a 19-year-old female student in 1967, but the case was reopened less than a year later. | |
| Police interviewed Lord Brittan, who was suffering from terminal cancer, in May 2014, but no charges were brought. Lord Brittan died in January 2015. | |
| Operation Midland | Operation Midland |
| In a letter last year, a senior officer apologised to Lady Brittan, saying she should have been told earlier that had he been alive, Lord Brittan would not have been prosecuted. | |
| Investigating officers had told the complainant this in April 2015, a Met report into the handling of the case revealed, but Lord Brittan's legal team were not told at the same time. | Investigating officers had told the complainant this in April 2015, a Met report into the handling of the case revealed, but Lord Brittan's legal team were not told at the same time. |
| Scotland Yard said it had delayed telling the peer when he was alive because the CPS had been asked to carry out a final review of the case. | Scotland Yard said it had delayed telling the peer when he was alive because the CPS had been asked to carry out a final review of the case. |
| A Met spokesman also said that notifying the complainant in April had been "premature", because the CPS did not confirm it would not pursue the case until June 2015. | A Met spokesman also said that notifying the complainant in April had been "premature", because the CPS did not confirm it would not pursue the case until June 2015. |
| Scotland Yard has faced criticism over its handling of the case but a review - carried out by Dorset Police and published earlier this month - found its investigation of the claim was "fully justified". | Scotland Yard has faced criticism over its handling of the case but a review - carried out by Dorset Police and published earlier this month - found its investigation of the claim was "fully justified". |
| The former home secretary has also been the subject of a separate investigation as part of Operation Midland, Scotland Yard's inquiry into allegations of a paedophile ring at the heart of Westminster. | The former home secretary has also been the subject of a separate investigation as part of Operation Midland, Scotland Yard's inquiry into allegations of a paedophile ring at the heart of Westminster. |
| The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says it is understood Sir Bernard will also be asked about this investigation in the meeting. | The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says it is understood Sir Bernard will also be asked about this investigation in the meeting. |
| Lord Brittan, whose career included two years as home secretary in Margaret Thatcher's government, died in January 2015 aged 75. | Lord Brittan, whose career included two years as home secretary in Margaret Thatcher's government, died in January 2015 aged 75. |