Trial date set for VIP paedophile accuser ‘Nick’

THE man known as Nick, whose allegations of VIP child abuse sparked Scotland Yard’s Operation Midland inquiry, will stand trial in March next year.

The 50-year-old, whose real identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, is charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud relating to a compensation claim.

During a brief hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, at which Nick appeared via video link, the judge, Paul Sloan QC, set a trial date of March 5 next year.

Raymond Tully, representing Nick, told the court that it was expected his client would “fully contest the charges”.

Operation Midland was launched in 2014 when Nick told police he had been raped and abused in the Seventies and Eighties by men, including Sir Edward Heath, the former prime minister; Lord Bramall, the former head of the Army; Lord Brittan, the former home secretary; Harvey Proctor, a former Tory MP, and Lord Janner, a former Labour MP. As well as abusing youngsters, he claimed that some members of the group murdered three boys during depraved sex games.

Scotland Yard mounted an 18-month, £2.5million investigation. It was closed down without a single arrest being made and the Met Commissioner subsequently apologised to those whose reputations had been damaged.

Northumbria Police was asked to investigate Nick and in July the Crown Prosecution Service announced he was being charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice.

He was also charged with one count of fraud relating to a £22,000 payout from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for sexual abuse he claimed he had suffered.