Finally, Met chief says sorry to Lord Brittan’s widow over sex claims
POLICE chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe made a “full apology” yesterday for the shambolic inquiry into sex crime allegations involving Lord Brittan.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner apologised in a tense face- toface meeting with the Tory politician’s widow. He agreed to meet Lady Brittan to explain why her husband was hounded by his force over a baseless rape allegation.
Leon Brittan was targeted by Scotland Yard after a woman known only as “Jane” claimed he raped her in 1967.
Despite reservations from at least one senior officer, the former home secretary’s home was raided and he was interviewed under caution about the allegation.
Detectives found no evidence to support the woman’s testimony and the case was dropped. But they failed to inform Lord Brittan or his wife before he died of cancer in January last year.
As his heartbroken wife was still grieving, officers raided their home again just weeks after his death following allegations he was part of a “VIP child sex ring”.
That inquiry – based on statements made by a man known only as Nick – is said to be on the brink of collapse after no evidence was found to support his allegations.
After meeting Sir Bernard in a central London hotel, the Brittan family issued a statement yesterday saying: “Lady Brittan met the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Bernard Hogan- Howe, at a private meeting earlier this afternoon.
“At the start of the meeting, Sir Bernard offered Lady Brittan a full apology on behalf of the force, which she accepted. Lady Brittan went on to ask and table some 30 questions regarding the two police inquiries.
“Sir Bernard promised to answer them in writing and Lady Brittan and the family await his response.” The rape allegation was first investigated in 2013 but the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence to support the claim. But the case was reopened in 2014 after pressure from campaigning MP Tom Watson, now Labour’s deputy leader.
The alleged VIP sex ring is being investigated by Scotland Yard’s Operation Midland squad.
Yesterday, the commissioner told BBC Radio London the force apologised by letter last year and yesterday’s apology went no further. He said: “I have apologised to Lord Brittan’s widow this afternoon. We had a private conversation. I confirmed the apology that we made some months ago now.
“It is an apology for not telling her at an early stage about the fact that Lord Brittan, who by that stage unfortunately had died, was not to be prosecuted in the future.”