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Paul Settle is a retired Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector. In an article in Conservative Home he is very critical of the intervention in Operation Midland by the former Labour MP Tom Watson.

After Tom Watson made a statement in the House of Commons that there was “clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to parliament and Number 10” DCI Settle’s department received a deluge of 450 allegations.

The investigation by his small team of six detectives into these accusations led to some high profile people being questioned, including Leon Brittan. DCI Settle could find no evidence to support the allegation and the CPS advised that there should be no further action.

Tom Watson wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions asking for a review of the decision. Paul was immediately removed from the case, ultimately ending his career. The investigation was reopened. Leon Brittan was interviewed under caution while seriously ill with cancer. Tragically he died before hearing the ‘no further action’ decision by the CPS.

The report by Lord Henriques was highly critical of the subsequent investigation and made many recommendations to the Metropolitan Police which have largely been rejected.

Eventually, it was found that the main complainant in this investigation was the now infamous Carl Beech, a fantasist who was sent to prison for perverting the course of justice.

Meanwhile, Tom Watson was rewarded with a peerage, and the only surviving member of those high profile people accused by Carl Beech, the former MP Harvey Proctor lost his job and home.

Maybe it’s Harvey Proctor and not Mr Watson who should be sitting in the House of Lords right now.

Read the article in Conservative Home here

See Also

Henriques Report an opportunity to re-balance the scales of justice

‘Believe the victim’; how the Met swallowed Nick’s tales hook line and sinker

Although ‘Nick’ has been charged, the justice system continues to fail the innocent

Police detective Paul Settle talks about danger of ‘bandwagon effect’