YET ANOTHER INJUSTICE Former CPS boss: Failure to publish ‘Nick’ report piles more pain on victims
THE former director of public prosecutions yesterday joined growing calls for Scotland Yard to release an unredacted version of a judge’s report into its shambolic ‘VIP paedophile ring’ probe.
In the face of furious criticism, the Metropolitan Police has refused to disclose whether it will publish any more of a 491-page dossier into its inquiry into false allegations made by the fantasist known as ‘Nick’.
The highly critical report, compiled by retired high court judge Sir Richard Henriques, identified 43 separate failings.
A version was published in 2016 – but more than 80 per cent was blacked out for reasons including ‘data protection’ and a fear of revealing covert policing methods.
Lord Macdonald, head of the Crown Prosecution Service for five years, last night joined a number of senior politicians in questioning the Met’s decision, saying it risks ‘piling further injustice upon the innocent victims of this appalling affair’.
‘Nick’ – real name Carl Beech – was last week jailed for 18 years for perverting the course of justice and fraud.
His extraordinary allegations sparked the 16-month inquiry Operation Midland, which cost taxpayers £2.5million and closed without a single arrest.
Former head of the armed forces Lord Bramall, ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor and former home secretary Leon Brittan had their homes raided and searched for up to 15 hours during the investigation. An independent inquiry was ordered in 2016 by then-Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Bernard HoganHowe. The resulting report by Sir Richard revealed it took him ‘a matter of days’ to realise that Beech was a fantasist.
In a bombshell intervention in Tuesday’s Daily Mail, Sir Richard suggested police may have broken the law by withholding information to obtain search warrants.
He said it meant ‘the course of justice was perverted with shocking consequences’ and called for a criminal probe.
On Wednesday, former head of Scotland Yard Lord Stevens demanded that his old force release an unredacted version of the report.
And last night Lord Macdonald, director of public prosecutions between 2003 and 2008, added his voice, saying: ‘In the face of the fiasco of Operation Midland, public confidence demands daylight.
‘Sir Richard’s report should be published to the fullest possible extent and the Home Affairs Select Committee should examine the conflict between his conclusions and the findings of the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
‘If matters are left as they are, this risks piling further injustice upon the innocent victims of this appalling affair.’
A Northumbria Police investigation into Beech’s lies was launched following Sir Richard’s report.
Five Metropolitan Police officers were also referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over alleged wrongdoing.
However, a statement released to coincide with Beech’s conviction revealed that they had all been cleared. Former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell said yesterday: ‘The public have the right to know the full truth.
‘If there are specific reasons why parts of the report should still be redacted then the police must explain precisely why – but embarrassment at police actions is not a sufficient reason.’
The Met said on Tuesday that it was reviewing the report ‘to ascertain whether more of it could be published’.
Pressed on whether any progress was being made, Scotland Yard yesterday declined to comment.
‘Appalling affair’