‘Credible victim’ gave five different accounts

Review after failed police investigation recommends dropping policy of always believing abuse cases

AN ALLEGED fantasist known as “Nick”, gave five different accounts of VIP abuse to the police, but was still regarded as “credible and true”, it has emerged, as a recent review recommends dropping the policy of automatically believing “victims”.

Under the current rules, police forces must say they believe a person who makes a complaint of rape or sexual assault, to give victims the confidence to come forward after an attack.

That policy is now expected to be dropped after a string of allegedly malicious complaints were made against high-profile people including politicians and celebrities.

Scotland Yard’s disastrous Operation Midland – which was launched when “Nick” claimed a VIP paedophile ring had raped and murdered boys in the Eighties – eventually closed without a single arrest having been made.

The investigation, which cost £2.5million, traduced the reputations of a number of public figures, including Sir Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister; Lord Brittan, the former Home Secretary; Lord Bramall, the war hero; and Harvey Proctor, the former Tory MP.

A report by the College of Policing has revealed that Scotland Yard believed Nick, even though he gave detectives five different accounts of his alleged ordeal in six months.

The information was contained in a redacted report published by Sir Richard Henriques, the retired High Court judge, but was revealed for the first time in the College of Policing review.

Prosecutors are considering whether to bring charges against Nick for perverting the course of justice. Asst Commissioner Rob Beckley, who carried out the review, has now recommended that forces drop the policy of automatically believing complainants.

While the current policy reads: “The

‘They have not bothered to interview people whose lives have been ruined by these malicious allegations’

intention is that victims are believed”, he suggested it should be changed to state: “The intention is that victims can be confident they will be listened to and their crime taken seriously.” The decision to introduce a blanket policy of believing victims was introduced in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, when it became clear that many assault victims, particularly children, had not been believed.

But false allegations, against high profile figures such as Sir Cliff Richard, Paul Gambaccini, the broadcaster, and Lord Bramall, a D-day veteran, have led for calls for a rethink.

Recently, Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, signalled a change of approach by her force, but the national policy remains in place.

A College of Policing spokesman said the review would need to go forward for consultation with victims’ groups and chief officers, before any final policy decision was made.

But Mr Proctor, who lost his job and his home following the false claims against him, said the victims of malicious complaints should also be consulted.

He said: “While I of course welcome this recommendation, it is long overdue. I am also very concerned that the College of Policing have interviewed lots of people regarding this policy, but they have not bothered to interview people like Sir Cliff Richard, or Paul Gambaccini or myself, whose lives have been ruined by these malicious allegations.”