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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Errors' in Met's VIP paedophile probe Operation Midland | 'Errors' in Met's VIP paedophile probe Operation Midland |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Numerous errors were made in Scotland Yard's investigation into paedophile allegations against VIPs, an independent review has found. | Numerous errors were made in Scotland Yard's investigation into paedophile allegations against VIPs, an independent review has found. |
| The decision to abandon Operation Midland should have been taken "much earlier", Sir Richard Henriques said. | The decision to abandon Operation Midland should have been taken "much earlier", Sir Richard Henriques said. |
| Five officers have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission following the review. | Five officers have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission following the review. |
| The Met Police commissioner accepted "accountability for these failures" and apologised to those involved. | The Met Police commissioner accepted "accountability for these failures" and apologised to those involved. |
| Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "It is a matter of professional and personal dismay that the suspects in the investigation were pursued for so long when it could have been concluded much earlier. | Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "It is a matter of professional and personal dismay that the suspects in the investigation were pursued for so long when it could have been concluded much earlier. |
| "I am today issuing a public apology to Lord Bramall, Lady Brittan and Harvey Proctor for the intrusion into their homes and the impact of Operation Midland on their lives." | "I am today issuing a public apology to Lord Bramall, Lady Brittan and Harvey Proctor for the intrusion into their homes and the impact of Operation Midland on their lives." |
| He said the public identification of suspects had compounded the harm of the investigative failures. | He said the public identification of suspects had compounded the harm of the investigative failures. |
| Life 'ruined' | |
| The £2.5m investigation was launched after claims that boys had been sexually abused by public figures more than 30 years ago - but it closed in March without a single arrest. | The £2.5m investigation was launched after claims that boys had been sexually abused by public figures more than 30 years ago - but it closed in March without a single arrest. |
| Sir Richard, a retired High Court judge, examined eight investigations. | |
| They included: | |
| Lord Bramall, 92, is a former head of the Army who was told he would face no further action under Operation Midland. | |
| Lady Brittan was married to former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, who died in January 2015 without being told that the case against him had been dropped. | |
| Harvey Proctor is a former MP, who was cleared of being part of an alleged VIP Westminster paedophile ring. He has said the Met Police's inquiry "irreparably ruined" his life. | |
| The review found 43 failings in Operation Midland, including believing the complainant, a man known as "Nick", for too long; one officer announcing that Nick's claims were "credible and true"; and applying for search warrants with flawed information. | |
| Sir Richard said: "The principal cause of the many failures in this investigation was poor judgement and a failure to accurately evaluate known facts and to react to them. | |
| "A major contributing factor was the culture that 'victims' must be believed." |