Lord Bramall: Former head of the British Army cleared of sex abuse allegations in Operation Midland

The 92-year-old was never arrested and has denied the allegations since he was interviewed under caution in April 2015

Lord Bramall (right), former chief of the armed forces during the Falklands war (Rex)

Police have cleared the former chief of the British Army, Lord Bramall, of child sexual offence allegations after nearly a year-long investigation.

In a statement released on Friday, the Metropolitan police said there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution against the highly decorated soldier and former chief of the defence staff.

The 92-year-old was never arrested and has denied all the allegations since he was interviewed under caution in April 2015 as part of Operation Midland – the police investigation into historical child abuse allegations.

Scotland Yard said in statement: “Officers working on Operation Midland have today, Friday 15 January, informed a man in his 90s from Farnham, who was interviewed under caution on 30 April 2015, that he will face no further action.

“Following a thorough investigation officers have concluded there is insufficient evidence to request the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider charging the man with any offences.”

Speaking to the Times, Lord Bramall, who was head of the armed forces during the Falklands war, said: “I think it’s a terrible thing for someone of my age, with an impeccable record of public service... Only now, very grudgingly, do they say they don’t propose to take any action.

“To have these awful, entirely untrue allegations hanging over one’s head, without the police saying there is not a grain of truth in them, is really awful.”

He added: “When [the claims] came out they were so bizarre, grotesque and absurd. I knew there was not one grain of truth in them. I was mystified the police could believe them.”