Let’s go back to the beginning.

Some time back, Carl Beech, who until recently went by the pseudonym ‘Nick’, told police that he and other boys had been violently raped and abused by an organised gang which included some very high profile British officials.

These included Sir Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister; Lord Brittan, the former Home Secretary; Harvey Proctor, the former Tory MP; Lord Bramall, the former head of the Army; Greville Janner, the former Labour MP; Maurice Oldfield, the former head of MI6; Michael Hanley, the former director of MI5; General Sir Hugh Beach and Field Marshal Roland Gibbs.

Beech then went one step further, claiming to have witnessed the murders of three boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also accused his own father of abuse.

These accusations launched a years-long investigation that cost millions of pounds – an investigation that concluded recently with surprising results.

The Telegraph reports that Beech has now been found guilty of making the whole thing up.

Carl Beech, 51, – a manipulative paedophile himself – was found guilty of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court, following a three month trial.

He now faces a lengthy prison sentence, after prosecutors proved he had invented a catalogue of extraordinary lies against some of the country’s most prominent names in order to claim compensation.

The men that Beech accused have welcomed the verdict, although many of them are understandably angry about how long it took to clear their names.

Following the verdicts, Mr Proctor, 72, who lost his home and his job as a result of the malicious allegations, blasted Scotland Yard for its litany of failings.

He said: “When resources are in short supply, the Met Police should apologise to taxpayers for squandering millions of pounds – an estimated £4 million directly and indirectly – by their malice, incompetence and negligence on Operation Midland.”

He added: “In these precious last years of my life I know I can never regain what has been taken from me through Carl Beech’s mendacious activities and the consequent rogue malicious and apparently homophobic Metropolitan Police Service’s investigation.”

Lord Leon Brittan (below centre) died before his name could be cleared.

The story gets worse.

According to The Huffington Post, prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC said images of a pre-pubescent boy – referred to as Child E – were found on a secret app, disguised as a calculator, on Beech’s iPad.

He said these pictures and videos were shot by the defendant in his bathroom without the boy knowing.

The prosecutor told the judge: “Carl Beech, whilst he was committing these offences, was in almost daily contact with senior police officers investigating his invented claims of paedophile activity by others.”

He also offered some disturbing insight into Beech’s motivation behind the accusations.

“The defendant was motivated by entirely selfish purposes.

“The defendant derived sexual pleasure from graphically describing the violent sexual abuse of young boys. He enjoyed the attention and celebrity.”

Let’s hope Beech is locked away for a very long time.

Thanks, Simon.

[sources:telegraph&huffpost]