The Met Police will be probed over its decision not to investigate two witnesses who allegedly made false child sex abuse claims against prominent figures during Operation Midland.
The Independent Officer for Police Conduct (IOPC), said it would investigate complaints made about Scotland Yard’s decision not to investigate the pair known as Witness A and Witness B.
Operation Midland - launched in 2014 into false claims of rape, torture and murder by innocent well-known names from the military, security services and politics made by fantasist Carl Beech - ended without a single arrest.
Beech, previously known as “Nick”, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2019 for 12 counts of perverting the course of justice.
In a review of the botched operation, former High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques recommended attempting to pervert the course of justice offences should be considered against Witness A and B who made similar claims to Beech.
Sir Richard wrote there was “plainly no truth” in their allegations.
“Their allegations occupied considerable amounts of police time during this investigation, and may well have prolonged it,” he said.
IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said: “Our investigation follows the referral of complaints from two individuals who were adversely affected by the allegations made by Witnesses A and B.”
He added: “Given the significant shortcomings in Operation Midland, as identified by Sir Richard’s review, it is important for those affected to understand what steps were taken by MPS, following the recommendation that offences of perverting the course of justice be considered for Witnesses A and B.”
A Merseyside Police investigation into Scotland Yard’s alleged failure to properly record and communicate a decision not to investigate Witness A and B concluded in August 2021.
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The IOPC said despite that probe, it felt it was still necessary to investigate complaints about the Met’s handling of the decision.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said it had received two complaints.
One related to a complaint about an alleged failure to properly communicate their decision not to investigate the pair and another was made about the decision itself.
A spokesperson said: “The IOPC have informed us they intend to investigate independently the decision not to investigate two people who had made allegations during Operation Midland.
“They have returned the matter relating to the handling of the complaint back for the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards to deal with in a reasonable and proportionate manner.”
