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| Met defends decision to heavily redact Operation Midland report Met defends decision to heavily redact Operation Midland report | |
| (14 days later) | |
| The Metropolitan police have defended their decision not to publish more than 80% of a scathing report into the failures of the force’s investigation into an alleged VIP paedophile ring. | The Metropolitan police have defended their decision not to publish more than 80% of a scathing report into the failures of the force’s investigation into an alleged VIP paedophile ring. |
| A redacted summary of the report by Sir Richard Henriques on Operation Midland found the inquiry was launched on the basis of a single witness and made 43 separate errors. | A redacted summary of the report by Sir Richard Henriques on Operation Midland found the inquiry was launched on the basis of a single witness and made 43 separate errors. |
| Last week during a debate in the House of Lords, peers argued that the report should be published in full. | Last week during a debate in the House of Lords, peers argued that the report should be published in full. |
| But on Thursday the Met commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, told the London assembly’s police and crime committee that publishing more of the report would risk “compounding damage already done to reputations” of those wrongly accused. | But on Thursday the Met commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, told the London assembly’s police and crime committee that publishing more of the report would risk “compounding damage already done to reputations” of those wrongly accused. |
| He said the Met had apologised to former army chief Edwin Bramall, former Tory MP Harvey Proctor and to the widow of the late former home secretary Leon Brittan. After the report was published he said all were “innocent of the offences of which they were accused”. | He said the Met had apologised to former army chief Edwin Bramall, former Tory MP Harvey Proctor and to the widow of the late former home secretary Leon Brittan. After the report was published he said all were “innocent of the offences of which they were accused”. |
| Asked if the Met had been “a bit free with the black marker pen”, Hogan-Howe said: “I don’t think so.” He pointed out that the 491-page report could not be published in full because it could prejudice an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation into five officers Henriques criticised and a separate investigation by Northumbria police into the lone complainant known as Nick. He also cited data protection issues. “Those are fundamental reasons why you see the black marker,” Hogan-Howe said. | Asked if the Met had been “a bit free with the black marker pen”, Hogan-Howe said: “I don’t think so.” He pointed out that the 491-page report could not be published in full because it could prejudice an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation into five officers Henriques criticised and a separate investigation by Northumbria police into the lone complainant known as Nick. He also cited data protection issues. “Those are fundamental reasons why you see the black marker,” Hogan-Howe said. |
| He pointed out that redactions included graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. “Our view is that it wouldn’t be right to put that in the public domain. Particularly as no criminal case has resulted against those accused of those assaults,” he said. | He pointed out that redactions included graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. “Our view is that it wouldn’t be right to put that in the public domain. Particularly as no criminal case has resulted against those accused of those assaults,” he said. |
| He added: “If it doesn’t go before a court is it right for us to put that very sensitive information into the public domain just to demonstrate our openness?” | He added: “If it doesn’t go before a court is it right for us to put that very sensitive information into the public domain just to demonstrate our openness?” |
| Appearing alongside him, Helen King, the assistant commissioner, insisted that redactions were not made to muffle criticism of the Met. “None of the redactions are motivated by a desire to hide any of the criticisms,” she told the committee. | Appearing alongside him, Helen King, the assistant commissioner, insisted that redactions were not made to muffle criticism of the Met. “None of the redactions are motivated by a desire to hide any of the criticisms,” she told the committee. |
| She revealed that the full report had been shown to several people including up to 10 senior Met officers, as well as the inquiry into historic sexual abuse, the director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, and Sophie Linden, London’s deputy mayor for policing and crime. | She revealed that the full report had been shown to several people including up to 10 senior Met officers, as well as the inquiry into historic sexual abuse, the director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, and Sophie Linden, London’s deputy mayor for policing and crime. |
| Hogan-Howe said he accepted criticisms of the “serious failings” highlighted in the report. But he warned against an overreaction. | Hogan-Howe said he accepted criticisms of the “serious failings” highlighted in the report. But he warned against an overreaction. |
| He said: “Two years ago the police service, the establishment generally, was being criticised for not listening to children 20 or 30 years ago. In this case the police are being criticised for going too far. | He said: “Two years ago the police service, the establishment generally, was being criticised for not listening to children 20 or 30 years ago. In this case the police are being criticised for going too far. |
| “We all need to consider that we don’t shove the pendulum completely the other way. We have got to think about the victims here who want to be reassured that they will be supported when they come forward and we will investigate fearlessly regardless of who those people are. If we all react by shutting the whole system down again that would be very unwise. A balanced response would be helpful for everyone.” | “We all need to consider that we don’t shove the pendulum completely the other way. We have got to think about the victims here who want to be reassured that they will be supported when they come forward and we will investigate fearlessly regardless of who those people are. If we all react by shutting the whole system down again that would be very unwise. A balanced response would be helpful for everyone.” |