Met chief could face inquiry over ‘Nick’ abuse probe farce

BRITAIN’S most senior police officer is facing the prospect of a watchdog investigation over her involvement in Scotland Yard’s shambolic VIP child sex abuse investigation, it was revealed yesterday.

A gross misconduct complaint against Dame Cressida Dick has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because of the ‘gravity of the subject matter or exceptional circumstances’ of the case.

Harvey Proctor, the former Tory MP falsely accused of being a serial child killer by the fantasist known as ‘Nick’, made the misconduct allegation against the Met commissioner.

He did so after she belatedly admitted she should have taken steps to correct a senior officer who said ‘Nick’, real name Carl Beech, was a ‘credible and true’ witness in the abuse inquiry.

The London mayor’s office for policing, which oversees the running of the Met, said it had made a voluntary referral to the IOPC, asking it to ‘determine whether or not it is necessary for the complaint to be investigated’.

Scotland Yard spent £2.5million and 16 months probing Beech’s lies, during which time officers raided the homes of ex-Armed Forces chief Lord Bramall, former home secretary Leon Brittan and Mr Proctor – all falsely accused of appalling child sex crimes. Beech, a convicted paedophile, is serving 18 years for his lies about murder and abuse.

The decision to pass the complaint to the much-criticised watchdog was condemned by Mr Proctor. ‘The IOPC is a tinpot organisation which is not fit for purpose,’ he said.

‘A tinpot organisation’