Ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor 'considering legal action' against Met Police over abuse probe

Former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor has said he is considering taking legal action against the Metropolitan Police over historical child sex allegations.

Mr Proctor, who was investigated as part of a doomed historical sex abuse probe called 'Operation Midland', is believed to have instructed lawyers to act on his behalf.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with the outgoing commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, about the impact of the investigation, Mr Proctor said he had "been through hell" over the past 18 months.

The £2.5 million investigation, which closed without a single arrest earlier this year, led to Mr Proctor's home being raided.

The homes of D-Day veteran Lord Bramall and late former home secretary Lord Brittan were also searched after lurid claims were made by one alleged victim, known as "Nick".

Following a meeting with Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe in London on Tuesday, the visibly emotional ex-Tory said the police chief had reiterated his apology for failings in the investigation and the effect it had had on his life.

Mr Proctor told reporters that in light of the "intolerable strain and stress I, my family and friends have borne this last 18 months" he had asked his solicitors to looking into "taking proceedings" against the Met.

Asked if this could be interpreted as him suing the force, Mr Proctor repeated the phrase "taking proceedings".

The possible action comes just a few weeks since Sir Cliff Richard launched legal action against the BBC and South Yorkshire Police.

  • Damning Review

The Metropolitan Police was heavily criticised for its historical sex abuse probe. Credit: PA

The meeting comes exactly a week after a damning review of the Metropolitan Police's handling of sex crime claims against high profile suspects found a series of failings.

Retired High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques said the reputations of those investigated had been left "shattered by the word of a single, uncorroborated complainant".

'Nick' is now facing investigation for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The review found 43 failings in the inquiry, including believing Nick for too long; one officer announcing publicly that his claims were "credible and true"; and applying for search warrants with flawed information.

Sir Richard, a former judge, said: "The principal cause of the many failures in this investigation was poor judgment and a failure to accurately evaluate known facts and to react to them.

"A major contributing factor was the culture that 'victims' must be believed."