In his latest Media Watch Dog report (No.467), Gerard Henderson provides a summary of Carl Beech’s crimes:
A SUMMARY OF THE CRIMES OF CARL BEECH (aka “NICK”) – FANTASIST & LIAR RE HISTORICAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
MWD readers are well aware about the case of “Nick” – later to be revealed as Carl Beech. In late October 2012, Nick claimed that – when a boy – he had been sexually abused by a number of high profile British men. Some of the alleged offenders were living – others (like former prime minister Edward Heath) were dead.
Nick’s allegations led to a situation where police in Britain adopted a policy of believing the complainant in cases of historical child sexual abuse. This was followed by a practice of calling a complainant a “victim” – before the alleged offender was found guilty. These matters are also relevant in Australia.
As time went by, Nick was revealed as a liar and a fantasist. Carl Beech was tried and convicted in Newcastle Crown Court in July 2019 of perverting the course of justice (re his false claims) and a fraud (for receiving financial compensation when he was not a victim of child sexual abuse).
In its “In the Back” segment on 9 August 2019, Private Eye – which followed Nick’s case – provided the following summary of events.
IN THE BACK
A Brief History of Belief with Carl Beech
Private Eye, 9-22 August, 2019 – Page 37
Detective Supt Kenny McDonald announced in December 2014 that allegations made by “Nick”, aka Carl Beech, were “credible and true” – before the Met had conducted any basic investigation into his claims of three murders and gang rape over nine years by a dozen sadistic abusers he dubbed “The Group”, said to include a former prime minister, home secretary, chief of the armed forces and the heads of MI5 and MI6.
A jury at Newcastle crown court quickly concluded two weeks ago that the allegations were incredible and untrue, finding Beech guilty of 12 charges of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraudulently obtaining £22,000 criminal injuries compensation for his claimed abuse. He had already previously pleaded guilty to voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children.
How did Inspector Knacker fall for these far-fetched and uncorroborated fantasies? The answer lies at the door of the Labour Party’s shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer QC who as director of public prosecutions (DPP) six years ago created the mantra “Believe the Victim”, which was officially adopted by the police and caused devastating damage to the innocent men whom Carl Beech accused.
The calamitous saga began on 3 October 2012 with an ITV documentary exposing the late Sir Jimmy Savile as a serial paedophile. The NSPCC [National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children] promptly opened a helpline and the Met launched Operation Yewtree. Beech contacted the NSPCC claiming he had been abused by Savile and by his late stepfather; he was referred to Operation Yewtree, which referred him to police in Wiltshire, where the abuse allegedly occurred.
24 October 2012
Labour MP Tom Watson tells a stunned David Cameron at prime minister’s questions that he has evidence of “a powerful paedophile network linked to parliament and Number 10”.
6 December 2012
Beech is interviewed by Wiltshire police, who conclude that since both suspects are dead there is no evidence to proceed. Nevertheless he obtains a crime reference number which enables him to claim compensation.
11 January 2013
The NSPCC and Met publish a joint report, Giving Victims a Voice, which reveals that 450 men and women have alleged they too were Savile victims. A judge orders national publicity for a £3m compensation scheme from Savile’s estate, and another 50 people come forward.
6 March 2013
The DPP Keir Starmer announces a review of guidelines for prosecutors and police investigating allegations of child sexual abuse. Complaining of an “over-cautious” approach to victims, he says: “At the moment there is a great deal of focus on whether the victim is telling the truth…we cannot afford another Savile moment.”
11 June 2013
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and newly created College of Policing publish interim guidelines stating prosecutors and investigators should focus on the credibility of the allegations rather than perceived weaknesses.
17 October 2013
Just before Starmer steps down as DPP, the final guidelines are published. He hails them as “the biggest shift for a generation”, saying victims should be encouraged to come forward confident that they will be believed. The mantra is taking shape.
2 January 2014
Starmer is given a knighthood for services to law and criminal justice.
22 and 23 October 2014
Met Police conduct formal interviews with Carl Beech, following reports published by the (now defunct and discredited) “investigative” website Exaro of his claims about a murderous Westminster paedophile ring.
18 November 2014
Her majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) publishes Crime-Recording: Making the Victim Count. Overseen by HM’s chief inspector Tom Winsor, the report advises: “Immediately, forces should ensure that, in crime-recording…the presumption that the victim should always be believed is institutionalised.”
18 December 2014
Detective Supt Kenny McDonald of Operation Midland announces publicly that Beech’s allegations, which include three child murders, are “credible and true”.
4 March 2015
Police raid the homes of Lord Bramall, Lord Brittan and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor. Their names are leaked to the media as suspects in the alleged paedophile ring.
21 March 2016
The Met announces the closure of Operation Midland, with no arrests. It has cost £2.5m. Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe orders an independent review by retired high court judge Sir Richard Henriques.
8 November 2016
The Met publishes extracts – just 67 pages – from the 491 page report submitted by Henriques. He is unequivocal: “The policy of ‘believing victims’ strikes at the very core of the criminal justice process. It has and will generate miscarriages of justice on a considerable scale…Requiring an investigator to believe a complaint which may or may not be true is a recipe for injustice.” He also recommends that people making such allegations be referred to as “complainants” not “victims”. Northumbria Police is called in to investigate Beech’s claims; in September 2017 it sends a file of evidence to the CPS.
21 April 2018
The Mail on Sunday reveals that the College of Policing has agreed to amend its policy – up to a point. “The intention is that victims are believed” is to be replaced by “The intention is that victims can be confident they will be listened to and their crime taken seriously.”
3 July 2018
The CPS announces that Beech has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
22 July 2019
Beech, the consummate “victim”, is exposed as a fraud.