Cop who led Met's VIP sex abuse ring probe faces gross misconduct investigation
The head of operations at the National Crime Agency, who led Scotland Yard’s disastrous VIP sex abuse inquiry, faces gross misconduct proceedings over claims he lied, it has been reported.
Operation Midland was part of a wider umbrella of investigations by Scotland Yard, dubbed Operation Fairbank, into false allegations of sex abuse involving senior politicians and high-profile figures.
Carl Beech, once only known in media reports as "Nick", made the claims of a Westminster VIP paedophile ring dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.
The Metropolitan Police investigated his allegations, raiding homes and interviewing alleged suspects - but the £2million operation ended without a single arrest.
Today, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced that a former senior Metropolitan Police officer "has a case to answer for" after an investigation into complaints about the force's failure to investigate two individuals who are alleged to have made false allegations.
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Steve Rodhouse gives evidence in front of the Home Affairs Select Committee at the House of Commons in 2015 (PA)NCA chief Steve Rodhouse has been named by the Daily Mail as the top cop at the centre of the IOPC's explosive statement. He has been served with a gross misconduct notice as part of an ongoing investigation.
He remains on duty and is cooperating fully with the IOPC.
The two individuals, who are known as Witness A and Witness B, are alleged to have made false accusations about a number of high profile.
When Sir Richard Henriques, a former High Court judge, reviewed Operation Midland, in 2016 he made a number of recommendations including that offences of attempting to pervert the course of justice should be considered against Witnesses A and B and that any investigation should be carried out by another force.
In March 2022, the IOPC because investigating after receiving two complaints from individuals who were impacted by the allegations.
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe said: “We decided the former senior officer may have breached police professional standards of behaviour relating to honesty and integrity regarding comments made to the media about Operation Midland in March 2016 and comments subsequently made to Sir Richard Henriques in August 2016.
Carl Beech in the dock at Newcastle Crown Court (PA)“We also found that by failing to follow Sir Richard’s recommendation when it was made in 2016, and after it was again brought to the force’s attention following complaints in 2017 and 2020, the service provided by the Met was unacceptable and we have upheld these complaints.
"The force conducted several reviews which all concluded no investigation was needed. We found those reviews were flawed, did not consider all of the evidence and their rationales were not sound. We have also recommended the Met apologise to the individuals affected.”
At the time, attention turned to Beech himself, with detectives making a horrific discovery at his Gloucester home in November 2016.
Three devices he owned contained hundreds of child sexual abuse images and they discovered he had installed a recording device in a toilet to secretly film a young boy.
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Beech, who had volunteered for the NSPCC and was a governor at two local schools, was charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud.
But before his trial at Worcester Crown Court, Beech went on the run and a manhunt started in Sweden.
Beech was convicted of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud (PA)In October 2018 he was extradited back to the UK after being arrested at Gothenburg station while in possession of a knife and rope.
On the first morning of his trial for child sexual offences in January, he pleaded guilty to all counts, but he denied the charges in the larger case, leading to a 12-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
The prosecution alleged Beech deliberately and persistently lied to police and fraudulently claimed £22,000 in criminal injuries compensation.
The prosecution described him as a "manipulative paedophile" after telling the jury he has previously admitted downloading indecent images of boys, and voyeurism.
Jenny Hopkins, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Beech was not a fantasist or a victim, but a "manipulative, prolific, deceitful liar".
Beech was convicted of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud, which he denied, at Newcastle Crown Court in July 2019.
Beech is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence.
An NCA spokesperson told the Mirror:“We are aware that the IOPC has decided that there is case to answer for gross misconduct relating to a senior NCA officer, as a result of a complaint linked to the Metropolitan Police Operation Midland. The IOPC is obliged under relevant legislation to enter into a consultation period with concerned parties regarding a disciplinary hearing. We will engage with the IOPC fully on this matter.”
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