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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 (IPCC) following the review.Five officers have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) 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." He apologised to former head of the Army Lord Bramall, ex-MP Harvey Proctor and the widow of former Home Secretary Lord Brittan "for the intrusion into their homes and the impact of Operation Midland on their lives" after all three men were accused but subsequently cleared.
He said the public identification of suspects had compounded the harm of the investigative failures.
'Irreversible' damage'Irreversible' damage
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. Operation Midland was launched after claims that boys had been sexually abused by a group of powerful men from politics, the military and law enforcement agencies at locations across southern England and in London in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sir Richard, a retired High Court judge, examined eight investigations. It cost £2.5m, but closed in March without a single arrest or charge.
They included: Sir Richard, a retired High Court judge, examined eight investigations in total, also including Operation Yewtree - into sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile and others - and Operation Vincente - into a separate allegation that Lord Brittan raped a 19-year-old woman.
Lord Bramall, 92, is a former head of the Army who was told he would face no further action under Operation Midland. Lord Brittan died in January 2015 without being told that the case against him had been dropped.
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. Mr Proctor, who was cleared of being part of an alleged Westminster paedophile ring, said in a letter to Sir Bernard that he accepted the commissioner's apology "without prejudice."
Former MP Harvey Proctor, who was cleared of being part of an alleged Westminster paedophile ring, has written a letter to Sir Bernard in which he says he accepts the commissioner's apology "without prejudice." "But as I am sure you will be aware, the detrimental impact of Operation Midland on my family, friends and myself, has been irreversible," he went on.
"But as I am sure you will be aware, the detrimental impact of Operation Midland on my family, friends and myself, has been irreversible," he goes on. Mr Proctor said his respect for the police remained "undiminished", but added: "I hope this travesty will never occur again."
"I have always had huge respect for the policing of our country and admiration for the work police officers do. This is undiminished.
"I hope this travesty will never occur again."
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.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.
The Met have confirmed that Nick is now being investigated for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice.
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.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.""A major contributing factor was the culture that 'victims' must be believed."
Scotland Yard said that as a result of the review another force, Northumbria, would investigate a claim that "a complainant" had attempted to pervert the course of justice. In all, Sir Richard made 25 recommendations, including:
'Unjustifiable imbalance' Analysis by Angus Crawford, BBC News correspondent
Sir Richard was highly critical of the decision by those in charge of Operation Midland to search several premises, risking the names of the householders being made public. Poor judgement. Those are the two words that ring out from this particular inquiry into the conduct of Operation Midland.
Searching them, when there were several inconsistencies in the complainant's interviews, was a "grave error of judgement", the former judge said. There were 43 separate failings, an extraordinary number, and as a result five officers are being referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
But it appears of the 43, four were absolutely fatal.
First of all, officers believed that one of the complainants was credible for far too long. Secondly, in December 2014, only a month after Midland had been launched, officers described his accusations as "credible and true".
The third error has gone slightly under the radar, but according to Sir Richard, the Met obtained search warrants for properties using flawed and incomplete evidence, which means they misled a judge. As he puts it, "the gravity" of that "cannot be overstated".
And finally, the review concluded that the entire investigation should have been closed down much earlier.
Sir Richard said the decision by those in charge of Operation Midland to search several premises, risking the names of the householders being made public, was a "grave error of judgement".
Instead, the investigation could have been carried out speedily and without those named learning of it.Instead, the investigation could have been carried out speedily and without those named learning of it.
There was an "unjustifiable imbalance", he said, between the scrutiny of complainants and suspects, highlighted by Operation Midland. There was also an "unjustifiable imbalance", he said, between the scrutiny of complainants and suspects.
He wrote: "The police inspected every piece of paper and recording equipment in the homes of Lord Bramall, Lady Brittan and Mr Proctor, including letters of commiseration and Golden Wedding invitations."
Lord Bramall and Mr Proctor were accused of the gravest of crimes and then left in a state of limbo while Nick was contacted on a regular basis and given "chapter and verse" on the progress of the investigation, he added.Lord Bramall and Mr Proctor were accused of the gravest of crimes and then left in a state of limbo while Nick was contacted on a regular basis and given "chapter and verse" on the progress of the investigation, he added.
'Not enough evidence'
Sir Richard called for much work to be done to improve the police relationship with those accused, given that prolonged investigations had a "crushing effect" on innocent suspects and their families.
On the Operation Vincente investigation into Lord Brittan, he said there was a "grave error of judgement as it was "obvious" while the peer was still alive that there was not enough evidence to charge him and he was ill.
"I am in no doubt that he should have been informed during his lifetime that no action would be taken," the former judge found.
Peter Saunders, founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: "It's not a good day. But what I hope and I pray is that people who have been affected by these crimes - young people, children and the adults that they become - if they are able to report these crimes, still do so.Peter Saunders, founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: "It's not a good day. But what I hope and I pray is that people who have been affected by these crimes - young people, children and the adults that they become - if they are able to report these crimes, still do so.
"Don't be put off by the hype around this particular failed operation.""Don't be put off by the hype around this particular failed operation."
The IPCC will now look into the cases of five officers over potential breaches in professional standards linked to Operation Midland. Deputy chairwoman of the IPCC Rachel Cerfontyne said the five officers referred to the Commission ranged in rank from sergeant to deputy assistant commissioner.
Deputy chair of the IPCC Rachel Cerfontyne said they ranged in rank from sergeant to deputy assistant commissioner. She said the commission would assess the evidence against them and then decide whether to conduct a formal investigation.
She said an assessment team would review documentation and make a recommendation, and from that she would decide whether there should be a full investigation.