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| Carl Beech trial: ex-wife confronted him after Panorama appearance | Carl Beech trial: ex-wife confronted him after Panorama appearance |
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| The former wife of a man accused of lying about a VIP paedophile ring confronted him after recognising his silhouette when he aired his claims on BBC Panorama but he denied it was him, a court has heard. | The former wife of a man accused of lying about a VIP paedophile ring confronted him after recognising his silhouette when he aired his claims on BBC Panorama but he denied it was him, a court has heard. |
| Carl Beech, 51, is alleged to have falsely claimed he was among the victims of a group of establishment men, including senior politicians, whom he said raped, kidnapped and murdered boys in the late 1970s and early 80s. | Carl Beech, 51, is alleged to have falsely claimed he was among the victims of a group of establishment men, including senior politicians, whom he said raped, kidnapped and murdered boys in the late 1970s and early 80s. |
| His ex-wife, Dawn Beech, said that although he had confided in her that he had been abused by his stepfather as a schoolboy, he had never told her during their 20-year marriage that he had been abused by any high-profile group nor had he mentioned witnessing any child murders. | His ex-wife, Dawn Beech, said that although he had confided in her that he had been abused by his stepfather as a schoolboy, he had never told her during their 20-year marriage that he had been abused by any high-profile group nor had he mentioned witnessing any child murders. |
| She told the court that she had confronted him over his claims about the VIP paedophile ring when she recognised his silhouette during an interview he gave about the alleged abuse which featured on BBC Panorama, but he had denied it was him. He told her: “Me on Panorama? What would I be doing on that?” | She told the court that she had confronted him over his claims about the VIP paedophile ring when she recognised his silhouette during an interview he gave about the alleged abuse which featured on BBC Panorama, but he had denied it was him. He told her: “Me on Panorama? What would I be doing on that?” |
| It also emerged that Carl Beech, widely known under the pseudonym Nick, had written a book about being a nurse under the pen-name Lucy Samuels. | It also emerged that Carl Beech, widely known under the pseudonym Nick, had written a book about being a nurse under the pen-name Lucy Samuels. |
| Meanwhile, Newcastle crown court heard that Beech, who is himself a convicted paedophile after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children at a separate trial, had worked as a children’s nurse during his early career. | Meanwhile, Newcastle crown court heard that Beech, who is himself a convicted paedophile after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children at a separate trial, had worked as a children’s nurse during his early career. |
| Beech is accused of fabricating his claims, which led to a £2m Scotland Yard inquiry that closed without a single arrest being made. He alleged that the abuse gang included the former prime minister Edward Heath, the former home secretary Leon Brittan, Field Marshal Lord Bramall and the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, among others. | Beech is accused of fabricating his claims, which led to a £2m Scotland Yard inquiry that closed without a single arrest being made. He alleged that the abuse gang included the former prime minister Edward Heath, the former home secretary Leon Brittan, Field Marshal Lord Bramall and the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, among others. |
| Beech, a former health worker from Gloucester, denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud over a £22,000 criminal compensation claim he received. | Beech, a former health worker from Gloucester, denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud over a £22,000 criminal compensation claim he received. |
| Carl and Dawn Beech married in 1992, four years after meeting during nursing training at the Royal Berkshire hospital in Reading. They had one child, born in 2002, but separated in late 2009 after she told him: “I don’t love you any more how a wife should love a husband and I think our marriage is dead and it’s time we went our separate ways.” Their divorce was finalised in 2012. | Carl and Dawn Beech married in 1992, four years after meeting during nursing training at the Royal Berkshire hospital in Reading. They had one child, born in 2002, but separated in late 2009 after she told him: “I don’t love you any more how a wife should love a husband and I think our marriage is dead and it’s time we went our separate ways.” Their divorce was finalised in 2012. |
| Dawn Beech said she recalled watching a television programme about a “VIP paedophile ring” in October 2015. Asked by the prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC whether she recognised a silhouetted man speaking on the programme, she replied: “Yes. It was my ex-husband, Carl Beech.” | Dawn Beech said she recalled watching a television programme about a “VIP paedophile ring” in October 2015. Asked by the prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC whether she recognised a silhouetted man speaking on the programme, she replied: “Yes. It was my ex-husband, Carl Beech.” |
| She confirmed he had been making allegations about being sexually abused by high-profile figures as a child. Asked by Badenoch whether Beech had mentioned any such thing during their marriage, she replied: “No.” | She confirmed he had been making allegations about being sexually abused by high-profile figures as a child. Asked by Badenoch whether Beech had mentioned any such thing during their marriage, she replied: “No.” |
| She further clarified that he had not mentioned witnessing children being murdered, groups taking him away to abuse him, nor any famous people abusing him. | She further clarified that he had not mentioned witnessing children being murdered, groups taking him away to abuse him, nor any famous people abusing him. |
| She told the court that a few weeks later she asked her former husband about the programme when she went to pick up their son. “We were talking on the doorstep, making polite conversation, and I said: ‘Can I ask you a bit of an obscure question?’ | She told the court that a few weeks later she asked her former husband about the programme when she went to pick up their son. “We were talking on the doorstep, making polite conversation, and I said: ‘Can I ask you a bit of an obscure question?’ |
| “He said yes, and I said: ‘It’s a bit weird but were you on Panorama the other week?’ He looked at me and laughed and said ‘Me on Panorama? What would I be doing on that?’ | “He said yes, and I said: ‘It’s a bit weird but were you on Panorama the other week?’ He looked at me and laughed and said ‘Me on Panorama? What would I be doing on that?’ |
| “I just laughed it off and said: ‘You must have a double, we all do,’ and carried on talking about something else.” | “I just laughed it off and said: ‘You must have a double, we all do,’ and carried on talking about something else.” |
| The court heard that before the couple started their relationship in about 1990, Beech showed her a letter he had written to his mother revealing that his stepfather had abused him. | The court heard that before the couple started their relationship in about 1990, Beech showed her a letter he had written to his mother revealing that his stepfather had abused him. |
| “At the time Carl was on a psychiatric placement and I think that brought out the feelings about what had happened to him as a child,” Dawn Beech, giving evidence behind a screen, told the court. | “At the time Carl was on a psychiatric placement and I think that brought out the feelings about what had happened to him as a child,” Dawn Beech, giving evidence behind a screen, told the court. |
| “He told me the abuse would take place when his mother would be downstairs watching the telly and his stepfather would come up to his bedroom and abuse him, and his mother was aware of what was going on and so thought it was OK.” | “He told me the abuse would take place when his mother would be downstairs watching the telly and his stepfather would come up to his bedroom and abuse him, and his mother was aware of what was going on and so thought it was OK.” |
| In 2006, Carl Beech published a book called Nurse, Nurse! under the pseudonym Lucy Samuels, the court heard. “He said he just wanted to write a book about his experiences within the NHS,” his ex-wife said. | In 2006, Carl Beech published a book called Nurse, Nurse! under the pseudonym Lucy Samuels, the court heard. “He said he just wanted to write a book about his experiences within the NHS,” his ex-wife said. |
| She added: “I think he wanted to make the author be a female because predominantly women are nurses and I think he was a little shy of putting his own name to it.” | She added: “I think he wanted to make the author be a female because predominantly women are nurses and I think he was a little shy of putting his own name to it.” |
| She told the court she had not read the book at the time but did so recently, finding it “quite difficult to read”. | She told the court she had not read the book at the time but did so recently, finding it “quite difficult to read”. |
| Some of the stories were “sensationalised”, she said and citedan example of a three-year-old who was in hospital with a broken leg but without parents, which she described as “a little odd”. The young patient’s only phrase to staff was to tell them to “fuck off”, according to the book. “I read that and just thought I was not 100% convinced that a child of that age would know such words and use them in such a way.” | |
| The court heard that Carl Beech had started as a paediatric nurse in Slough. “He had enjoyed paediatric nursing in his training and wanted to become a paediatric nurse,” his former wife said. He later became head of complaints for the Royal Gloucester hospital. | |
| Dawn Beech told the court the couple had gone through counselling and also had debts of nearly £70,000 on credit and store cards, as well as vehicle finance. During their marriage she had confronted him over his poor personal hygiene and said he had not complained of any ailments during their marriage, and he had no scars. | Dawn Beech told the court the couple had gone through counselling and also had debts of nearly £70,000 on credit and store cards, as well as vehicle finance. During their marriage she had confronted him over his poor personal hygiene and said he had not complained of any ailments during their marriage, and he had no scars. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |
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