A web of lies: Carl Beech and the VIP paedophile ring – podcast

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In 2014 Carl Beech claimed he had been a victim of child sexual abuse by high-profile politicians. His allegations snowballed into a multimillion-pound police investigation, but rather than exposing a paedophile ring, Beech ended up on trial. Simon Murphy discusses the story. And: Shaun Walker on the possible poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny

In 2014, Carl Beech, a former nurse, claimed his stepfather, Raymond, an army major, had sexually abused him as a child in the 1970s and 80s, ferrying him to parties attended by the former prime minister Sir Edward Heath, the former home secretary Leon Brittan, the former chief of the defence staff Lord Bramall, the ex-MI5 chief Sir Michael Hanley and the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, among others.

Amid political pressure following the police’s failure to bring Jimmy Savile to justice before his death, Scotland Yard began to investigate in earnest. Operation Midland was launched. Several million pounds later, it became clear the allegations were false and Beech has been jailed for perverting the course of justice. The Guardian’s Simon Murphy discusses following Beech’s story with Anushka Asthana.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2YuH8eO

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