Jumping before he’s pushed – Met chief quits on eve of VIP abuse report

SIR Bernard Hogan-Howe dra- matically quit yesterday just days before he is handed a damning review of the disastrous VIP sex ring inquiry.

The Scotland Yard boss stepped down after five years dogged by controversy in anticipation of stinging criticism over his handling of Operation Midland.

His decision took senior colleagues and City Hall by surprise and came just months after he was granted a one-year extension to his role as Britain’s most senior police officer. It suggests that the 58-year-old suspected he would not survive the inevitable calls for his resignation ignited by the report.

A retired High Court judge is expected to attack the Met for falling in thrall to the fantasist accuser known only as ‘Nick’, whose claims led to the investigation of war hero Lord Bramall, former home secretary Leon Brittan and exTory MP Harvey Proctor.

Critics dubbed the £2million inquiry, Operation Midland, a witch-hunt and accused Sir Bernard of allowing it to spiral out of control.

Last night, Mr Proctor, one of Sir Bernard’s most outspoken detractors, branded him a ‘disgrace’ who should have stepped down ‘many months ago’.

‘He has wrought havoc on the Met’

He added: ‘ He has wrought havoc on the Met whose good reputation he and other senior officers have tarnished in the past few years.’

In keeping with his tightly controlled five-year reign, Sir Bernard carefully orchestrated the unexpected news of his retirement. He gave no obvious reasons for his decision but simply told senior colleagues it was the ‘right time to go’ from his £278,563-a-year post. The Met chief informed London mayor Sadiq Khan of his decision over the telephone and personally visited Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

Earlier this year, Sir Bernard was given a one-year-extension to his five-year contract, taking him until September 2017, but he is understood to have wanted an extra three years. He will now retire in February, seven months ahead of the expiry of his contract.

City Hall was unable to say if he will be paid for this period, but the top officer is unlikely to be caught short after 37 years’ police service, as his gold-plated public sector pension could be worth up to £185,000 a year.

Sir Bernard brought the Met out of the chaos of the 2011 riots, steering it through £600million of cuts and maintaining frontline officer numbers. And under the banner of ‘Total Policing’ he oversaw a successful London Olympics, championed commonsense policing methods and safeguarded the city from terrorism.

Yet he proved less sure-footed with the most politically charged inquiries, including the Plebgate scandal in which he was accused of overzealously pursuing his own officers. He was also the driving force behind the Yard’s bungled £20million Operation Elveden inquiry into alleged payments to public officials by journalists.

But the speedy unravelling of Operation Midland, the VIP sex abuse investigation, ultimately proved to be his downfall. It led to condemnation of his force for ‘ hounding’ Lord Bramall and other members of the Establishment at the behest of a troubled fantasist. Retired High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques is expected to deliver the first draft of his report to Sir Bernard next week. The commissioner and his top team are braced for strong criticism, particularly of the scale of the inquiry, its length and the apparently little- questioned reliance on ‘Nick’.

But the report may not be made public for some weeks as the Met has said it will release only selected findings.

In recent months Sir Bernard also clashed with the new

‘A determined crimefighter’

London mayor, who had signalled he wanted his own man in office.

Despite this, Sir Bernard’s decision has rocked Whitehall and City Hall because of the lack of an obvious candidate to succeed him. Ministers are said be in ‘some despair’ over who could step into his shoes and undertake what is undoubtedly the toughest job in policing.

Frontrunners include Essex Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh, National Crime Agency boss Lynne Owens and counterterrorism chief Mark Rowley.

The Home Secretary may also consider Pat Gallan, the most senior ethnic minority woman in British policing history, or recall former counter-terrorism boss Cressida Dick from MI6.

Fromer sailor Sir Charles Montgomery, currently head of the UK Border Force, has also been suggested as a candidate from outside the traditional police ranks.

Sir Bernard has always remained tight-lipped about what his plans were once he left the Met, but yesterday he said he has still got ‘loads of energy’ and is expected to seek a private sector role. His experience in the Met, regional forces and as a senior member of the police watchdog – and comparatively young age – means he can command a lucrative salary.

In a round of interviews and statements yesterday, Sir Bernard stressed that his passion remains to ‘protect good people and lock up the bad guys’.

He added: ‘I’ve enjoyed my job, I’ve still got loads of energy and I’m sure I’ll pursue other things in the future.’

Mr Khan insisted that he had nothing to do with Sir Bernard’s decision to retire.

He said: ‘I didn’t want him to go; we worked incredibly well together. But I am grateful he gave me and the Home Security sufficient notice.’

Mrs Rudd thanked Sir Bernard, adding: ‘He has had a long and distinguished career as a determined crimefighter and an inspirational senior officer.’