Lord Bramall condemns Met as VIP abuse probe Operation Midland 'set to end'

Former armed forces chief Lord Bramall has condemned the Metropolitan Police for its handling of "absurd" child sex abuse allegations against him that he claimed had not been corroborated.

The 92-year-old D-Day veteran spoke out amid reports the Met's controversial inquiry into alleged abuse and murder linked to VIPs - known officially as Operation Midland - is on the verge of being scrapped.

Lord Bramall said he was was left to prove the allegations against him were not true after being questioned by the inquiry's police.

Lord Bramall, seen with the Queen in 2006, was among a number of public figures investigated by police as part of Operation Midland. Credit: PA Archive

Officers raided his home last March while he had breakfast with his terminally ill wife, who has since died.

He said police told him he was alleged to have abused "an under-age male 40 years ago" and claimed he was also accused him of taking part in sex parties on Remembrance Sunday.

Lord Bramall claimed it took officers who first spoke to him 10 months to speak to witnesses who cast doubts on the allegations against him.

The probe was dropped by the Met last month after an inquiry that saw him publicly named as a suspect.

Scotland Yard said it would not comment on the new criticism from Lord Bramall, and in a statement last month refused to apologise for its handling of the investigation.

The Metropolitan Police have been investigating claims that sex parties were held at the Dolphin Square apartment block near the Houses of Parliament. Credit: PA Wire

Assistant Commissioner Patricia Gallan said: "For a person to have their innocence publicly called into question must be appalling, and so I have every sympathy with Lord Bramall and his late wife and regret the distress they endured during this investigation."

But the senior officer said police would be put off investigating claims if they had to apologise when inquiries did not end with a suspect being charged.

Scotland Yard meanwhile said Operation Midland remained "ongoing" despite several newspapers reporting it is on the verge of being scrapped.

The inquiry was launched in November 2014 after allegations that boys were sexually abused by a paedophile ring centred around Westminster more than 30 years ago.

Centred on allegations by a man known as "Nick", the inquiry increased in profile when police announced they were also looking into the alleged murder of three young boys.