MPs to probe police watchdog after Nick scandal ‘whitewash’
MPs have launched an inquiry into the running of the police watchdog following its ‘whitewash’ inquiry which cleared five detectives of misconduct in scotland Yard’s bungled VIP child sex abuse case.
The probe by the Commons’ home affairs committee will examine why the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC) cleared two senior officers of misconduct within four months – without even interviewing them.
It will also investigate why it took a further two years to conclude that three other officers accused of malpractice in Operation Midland should not face any sanctions.
Retired High Court judge sir Richard Henriques’ scathing 2016 report into police conduct in the case – which identified 43 major errors in the £2.5 million Met inquiry – will be considered by MPs as they examine the matter.
In a bombshell article in the Daily Mail this month, sir Richard attacked the ‘flawed’ IOPC inquiry, accused the watchdog of ‘lack of knowledge of criminal procedure’ and highlighted ‘gross and inexcusable delays’. He had previously said that police searches in Operation Midland, sparked by the lies of serial liar and fantasist ‘Nick’, real name Carl Beech, broke the law. Despite the concerns of sir Richard and another judge, the IOPC – whose ‘lead investigator’ was a rookie in her 20s who had only a few years’ experience – dismissed the misconduct allegations.
The decision to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the running of the watchdog and the wider police complaints system is a victory for the Daily Mail, which has led the way in exposing the shambolic IOPC inquiry into Operation Midland since Beech was jailed for 18 years in July.
The probe was announced yesterday – two days after the police watchdog was accused of cronyism when its boss gave a £ 140,000- a- year job to a former colleague.
Michael Lockwood, the £180,000-a-year director general of the IOPC, was on a panel which approved the appointment of Tom Whiting, his former No 2 at a local council. Mr Lockwood denies any wrongdoing. An IOPC spokesman said: ‘ Mr Lockwood declared he knew the candidate, in accordance with policy... The [deputy] position was proposed in the year before the appointment of Mr Lockwood.’
The watchdog chief is expected to face tough questioning by MPs over the runlocal ning of the quango. Committee chairman Yvette Cooper said: ‘When the Government established the IOPC in January 2018, it was with the promise of new powers, greater independence and faster decision-making. Nearly two years on, we continue to hear concerns that the system is not working as it should. In this inquiry we expect to look at the IOPC’s powers and effectiveness but, given that most complaints are dealt with by forces under the scrutiny of Police and Crime Commissioners, we shall also look at whether wider reforms are needed.’
Tory MP Tim Loughton, who sits on the committee, is pressing for a separate parliamentary inquiry into the scandal of Operation Midland.
Among those who could be called, should the probe go ahead, is ex- Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner steve Rodhouse, who led the shambolic inquiry.
Mr Rodhouse is now head of operations at Britain’s version of the FBI, the National Crime Agency, but senior Home Office and police sources have described his position as ‘untenable’ and his future remains in serious doubt.
Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, falsely accused of being a serial child killer by Beech and who has branded the IOPC inquiry into Operation Midland a ‘whitewash’, welcomed the Commons inquiry. He said: ‘The IOPC is deserving of a thorough investigation. I am not alone in believing it is an organisation not fit for purpose.’
Daniel Janner, whose Labour peer father Greville Janner was falsely accused of abuse by Beech, added: ‘Operation Midland has shown the IOPC as being a toothless watchdog. It is risking losing the public’s trust and credibility.’