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/politics/2016/feb/16/leon-brittans-widow-receives-full-apology-from-met-police-chief
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Leon Brittan's widow receives apology from Met police chief | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Metropolitan police commissioner has met Leon Brittan’s widow to apologise for not telling her sooner that the investigation into an historical rape allegation against her husband, a former home secretary, had been dropped. | The Metropolitan police commissioner has met Leon Brittan’s widow to apologise for not telling her sooner that the investigation into an historical rape allegation against her husband, a former home secretary, had been dropped. |
| Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe also admitted later in the day that the police may have lost the appearance of objectivity in the eyes of suspects in historical sexual abuse cases and that it was “time to reset the balance”. | Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe also admitted later in the day that the police may have lost the appearance of objectivity in the eyes of suspects in historical sexual abuse cases and that it was “time to reset the balance”. |
| The commissioner and the force he leads are under fire for their investigations into prominent people and allegations of sexual abuse going back decades. | The commissioner and the force he leads are under fire for their investigations into prominent people and allegations of sexual abuse going back decades. |
| Hogan-Howe met Diana Brittan to apologise for the delay in telling her that her husband would not have been charged with rape, had he still been alive. | |
| Related: Tom Watson to issue written apology to Leon Brittan's widow | Related: Tom Watson to issue written apology to Leon Brittan's widow |
| The Metropolitan police have already publicly apologised for the delay, but Tuesday’s 80-minute meeting at the Goring hotel in Belgravia, allowed Britain’s top police officer to repeat the apology in person. | The Metropolitan police have already publicly apologised for the delay, but Tuesday’s 80-minute meeting at the Goring hotel in Belgravia, allowed Britain’s top police officer to repeat the apology in person. |
| Hogan-Howe said Lady Brittan had “made it an easy conversation”, and detailed the pain inflicted on her family. “You’d have to be a block of stone not to be affected,” he said of her account. | Hogan-Howe said Lady Brittan had “made it an easy conversation”, and detailed the pain inflicted on her family. “You’d have to be a block of stone not to be affected,” he said of her account. |
| In a statement, Brittan said she had accepted the apology and tabled 30 more questions about the criminal inquiries into her husband. Lord Brittan was investigated for an alleged rape dating back to 1967. He had denied knowing the complainant, and that inquiry was dropped. Detectives from Operation Midland are still investigating him as part of their inquiry into an alleged VIP child sexual abuse ring operating in the 1970s and 80s. | In a statement, Brittan said she had accepted the apology and tabled 30 more questions about the criminal inquiries into her husband. Lord Brittan was investigated for an alleged rape dating back to 1967. He had denied knowing the complainant, and that inquiry was dropped. Detectives from Operation Midland are still investigating him as part of their inquiry into an alleged VIP child sexual abuse ring operating in the 1970s and 80s. |
| The operation has proved controversial and led to searches of properties belonging to Brittan, the former military chief Lord Bramall and former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor. | The operation has proved controversial and led to searches of properties belonging to Brittan, the former military chief Lord Bramall and former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor. |
| Critics say it should be shut down and that Hogan-Howe should apologise for the impact it has had on those accused. | Critics say it should be shut down and that Hogan-Howe should apologise for the impact it has had on those accused. |
| The Met commissioner declined to do so, but during an interview on BBC Radio London said a policy of “institutionalised belief” in victims’ allegations had caused confusion for detectives. | The Met commissioner declined to do so, but during an interview on BBC Radio London said a policy of “institutionalised belief” in victims’ allegations had caused confusion for detectives. |
| It is a theme Hogan-Howe first raised last week in an article he wrote for the Guardian, but went further in his radio interview, noting that when the scandal over sexual abuse first broke they were accused of a cover-up, but now were being accused of a “witch hunt”. | It is a theme Hogan-Howe first raised last week in an article he wrote for the Guardian, but went further in his radio interview, noting that when the scandal over sexual abuse first broke they were accused of a cover-up, but now were being accused of a “witch hunt”. |
| Hogan-Howe told BBC Radio London: “Twenty or 30 years ago people did not believe children, on the whole, when they alleged things against teachers, priests etc … We don’t want that to happen of course. | Hogan-Howe told BBC Radio London: “Twenty or 30 years ago people did not believe children, on the whole, when they alleged things against teachers, priests etc … We don’t want that to happen of course. |
| “There’s a danger, if you go right to the other extent of the spectrum, that in fact more victims may come forward, but the suspects think the investigators aren’t objective. | “There’s a danger, if you go right to the other extent of the spectrum, that in fact more victims may come forward, but the suspects think the investigators aren’t objective. |
| “I think that’s possibly where we are, time to reset the balance and have look at it.” | “I think that’s possibly where we are, time to reset the balance and have look at it.” |
| The Met announced an inquiry led by the retired high court judge Richard Henriques into the handling of historical allegations of sexual abuse against public figures, which will consider whether the policy for officers in rape and sexual abuse cases should now be altered. | The Met announced an inquiry led by the retired high court judge Richard Henriques into the handling of historical allegations of sexual abuse against public figures, which will consider whether the policy for officers in rape and sexual abuse cases should now be altered. |
| The commissioner said Operation Midland was continuing and that one reason for the time it was taking was that new witnesses had come forward and their accounts had to be investigated. | The commissioner said Operation Midland was continuing and that one reason for the time it was taking was that new witnesses had come forward and their accounts had to be investigated. |
| In her statement, Brittan and her family said: “At the start of the meeting Sir Bernard offered Lady Brittan a full apology on behalf of the force, which she accepted. | In her statement, Brittan and her family said: “At the start of the meeting Sir Bernard offered Lady Brittan a full apology on behalf of the force, which she accepted. |
| “Lady Brittan went on to ask and table some 30 questions regarding the two police enquiries as they related to Lord Brittan. | “Lady Brittan went on to ask and table some 30 questions regarding the two police enquiries as they related to Lord Brittan. |
| Related: Operation Midland has not found enough evidence to charge any suspects | Related: Operation Midland has not found enough evidence to charge any suspects |
| “Sir Bernard promised to answer them in writing and Lady Brittan and the family await his response.” | “Sir Bernard promised to answer them in writing and Lady Brittan and the family await his response.” |
| Lord Brittan died in January 2015, aged 75, without being told the investigation into the rape allegation had ended and he would not be charged. | Lord Brittan died in January 2015, aged 75, without being told the investigation into the rape allegation had ended and he would not be charged. |
| Hogan-Howe said of the apology: “I confirmed the apology we made some months ago now, which is an apology for not telling her at an earlier stage about the fact the Lord Brittan, who by that stage had unfortunately died, was not to be prosecuted as there was no chance of a successful prosecution. I thought it was important to meet her and it was a very precise apology for the reasons that have previously been given.” | Hogan-Howe said of the apology: “I confirmed the apology we made some months ago now, which is an apology for not telling her at an earlier stage about the fact the Lord Brittan, who by that stage had unfortunately died, was not to be prosecuted as there was no chance of a successful prosecution. I thought it was important to meet her and it was a very precise apology for the reasons that have previously been given.” |