Ex-DPP: Nick case was like game of Cluedo — it was obvious to some, but not the police
POLICE must end the “victim culture” to prevent more reputations being ruined through false claims after the “madness” of the VIP sex-ring probe, a former top prosecutor said today.
Lord Macdonald said it was “absolute rubbish” for police to automatically believe people making allegations of crimes and to view them as victims before any offence was proved. He added that the practice was a “fad” that had got out of control and led to criminal investigations being “blinkered” and unbalanced.
Miscarriages of justice, including in rape and other sex cases, were one potential result, as well as the wrecking of innocent people’s lives through false claims.
His comments follow the conviction yesterday of the paedophile Carl Beech, 51, whose invented claims led Scotland Yard to mount a £2.5 million investigation into fictitious allegations of child murder, rape and torture by a Westminster-based sex ring.
Senior figures wrongly accused during the probe — whose high-profile cheerleaders were led by Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson — included a retired armed forces chief, Field Marshal Lord Bramall, the former home secretary Lord Brittan and the ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor.
Beech’s fantasy account included claims that he had witnessed three child murders and been flown overseas to be abused. He also claimed to have been tortured by snake bites and had his dog kidnapped by MI5.
In 2014, the Met’s Det Supt Kenny McDonald described the allegations as “credible and true”.
But following Beech’s conviction at Newcastle crown court on 12 counts of perverting the course of justice, Lord Macdonald, who was director of public prosecutions between 2003 and 2008, lashed out at police over their approach to the case.
He declined to single out individuals but said police nationwide had been “entering investigations completely blinkered” because the notion of “we believe the victim” had gone “much too far”.
He said: “Parts of this victim culture have the aspects of a fad and talking about believing victims is just preposterous.
“How can you investigate a crime professionally if you start from a position of believing what you are told? It’s absolute rubbish,” he said.
He added: “This was an extreme example and looking back you couldn’t make it up. This was like a game of Cluedo — it was obvious to some people but not to the police apparently.”
Three Met officers were yesterday cleared by the Independent Office for Police Conduct of wrongdoing during the investigation into Beech’s allegations.
Scotland Yard said that i t h a d re fo r me d its practices in the wake of a review carried out by former judge Sir Richard Henriques and that former commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe had also apologised in person to those most affected by Beech’s false claims.
Meanwhile, at Westminster Tory MPs called for Mr Watson to apologise for using his parliamentary role to press for Lord Brittan to be investigated.
Tory MP Bob Blackman said: “He needs to apologise by making a statement in Parliament. Parliamentary privilege is something we have to use with proper respect. You have to be sure that you’re right.”
Former deputy speaker Nigel Evans added that Mr Watson’s “allegations were false and reckless and have brought the workings of Parliament into question”. He said: “He needs to fully apologise for his actions.”
Mr Watson has insisted that his actions helped secure the conviction of three child abusers.