The revelations about the Jimmy Savile scandal in , and how the popular entertainer abused hundreds with the authorities ignoring concerns about him, created a shockwave. The need to tackle historical sex abuse became paramount and police became determined they would pursue claims without fear or favour, no matter how powerful the suspects were. Nick then went to a start-up website, Exaro, which published his claims. The Met police said they wanted to talk to Nick, and eventually in with the help of then Labour backbencher Tom Watson , Nick was persuaded to make a statement to detectives.
His claims of abuse of children by a group of prominent people and of children being murdered led to Operation Midland. In December police held a press conference to appeal for witnesses and to show claims of historical child sex abuse would be pursued vigorously.
They described the outlandish claims made by Nick as being credible, broadly in keeping with policy to believe victims unless evidence emerges to disprove them. This would be a millstone round police necks and they were slow to retract it. The names became public. Soon Midland was dogged by claims it was a baseless witch-hunt, but as late as February police viewed Nick as credible.
The investigation collapsed in March It branded the claims a fantasy and untrue and said Nick should face criminal investigation for lying to police. A redacted version was published by the Met in November The main reason for omitting so much material was the criminal investigation into Nick. In June this year Nick, real name Carl Beech, was convicted of perverting the course of justice and fraud , and in an earlier trial for offences over indecent images of children.
He was jailed for 18 years. The Met are shown to have fallen for a fantasist, been slow to realise they had been duped, and subjected wholly innocent people to distress. The home secretary has used special powers to order in inspectors to check up on the Met. But claims of historical abuse are growing, and the government appointed inquiry on child sexual abuse has had nearly 20, people to come forward saying they were victims.
