The shortcomings of Operation Midland are now laid bare – but we cannot let its finding further obstruct justice

Sir Richard Henriques’ report shows failures on behalf of the Metropolitan Police and Tom Watson. These serious blunders must be answered for

Carl Beech’s greatest crime is to have damaged the chances of future genuine victims of real paedophiles being listened to by the authorities (PA)

If there was one moment when Operation Midland went wrong, it was when Detective Sergeant Kenny McDonald told the media at the outset of the investigation in 2014 that officers believed the claims made by Carl Beech, known as “Nick”, were “credible and true”. He said: “Nick has been spoken to by experienced officers from the child abuse team and from the murder investigation team and they and I believe what ‘Nick’ is saying is credible and true, hence why we’re investigating.”

Given that it turned out that Nick’s allegations were entirely made up, the use of the word “true” was unwise – but also wrong even at the time. It skewed the inquiry and added unnecessary credence to “Nick’s” story, one that was attracting intense media attention and which was hurtful and damaging to the reputations of those named by him who were still alive, but elderly. After the police said it was all “true”, no one was going to believe otherwise.

What we now know from the additional information released from Sir Richard Henriques’ report into the botched investigation is that the officers may have agreed to make their faith in Beech’s testimony public, and that they were more broadly influenced by a wish to work closely with the Labour MP Tom Watson. Mr Watson seemed to be almost an auxiliary copper, and had pioneered the campaign from the backbenches of the House of Commons, covered by parliamentary privilege. According to the Henriques report, Watson, now Labour’s deputy leader, pushed the police into interviewing Lord (Leon) Brittan when he intervened in the case. Mr Watson denies the claim and points out a letter he wrote was seen by police only after they had already quizzed the former politician, who was gravely ill. If the police were desperately keen to please Mr Watson, that is not in fact Mr Watson’s fault, but theirs. The Metropolitan Police are supposed to be grown-ups. He does, though, need to justify his use of privilege.