LONDON: A British court on Monday convicted a man who accused a string of establishment figures including former prime minister Edward Heath of sexually abusing children, finding him guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Carl Beech, a former children’s charity worker and nurse, was referred to as “Nick” during the large-scale investigation which his claims triggered.
As part of their enquiries, police raided the homes of Edwin Bramall, a former army chief and World War II veteran, and the late Leon Brittan, a former European commissioner.
Beech accused the Westminster paedophile ring of killing three boys, saying he saw one strangled in front of him.
His allegations began appearing in the press in 2014, raising the pressure on police to investigate after they were widely criticised for failing to bring former TV presenter Jimmy Savile to justice before his death.
The police officer leading the investigation, Kenny McDonald, described Beech’s allegations as “credible and true” on TV news bulletins in December 2014.
But police could not find any evidence to support his sensational claims and the investigation was stopped in 2016. — AFP
