Anger over sex ring inquiry justified, says head of Met

THE head of Scotland Yard has said she understands why people want to “see heads roll” in the wake of the force’s catastrophic investigation into a nonexistent Westminster paedophile ring.

Dame Cressida Dick acknowledged that members of the public wanted to see “punishment” for those involved in the botched inquiry, which tarnished the reputations of senior politicians.

It comes just days after Dame Cressida, who had been responsible for supervising the senior investigating officer, was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over her own role in Operation Midland.

The investigation, which was launched in 2014 on the back of claims made by fantasist Carl Beech, ended in scandal when Beech’s allegations were exposed as lies. In July he was convicted of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and jailed for 18 years.

Asked about the controversy, the Metropolitan Police commissioner told Today on BBC Radio 4 she would be “extraordinarily co-operative” with the investigation.

She added that she regretted the decision of Det Supt Kenny Mcdonald, her investigating officer, to refer to Beech’s claims as “credible and true”.

She said: “I certainly regret the phrase being used – ‘credible and true’.

“I have apologised for the fact that happened in the few weeks that I sat above Operation Midland and supervised the senior officer.”

Beech’s false claims led to a number of prominent public figures coming under investigation, including Lord Bramall, former head of the Armed Forces, former home secretary Lord Brittan, and Harvey Proctor, the former Tory MP.