Police pay compensation to Lord Bramall and Lady Brittan over failed sex abuse probe

Lord Bramall and Lady Brittan have received compensation from Scotland Yard over its failed sex abuse probe.

Both the former head of the Army Lord Bramall and the late ex-home secretary Lord Brittan had their houses raided by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Midland.

The forced were widely criticised in relation to the £2.5 million investigation into claims from a single accuser, known as "Nick", about a high-level paedophile ring linked to Westminster.

No arrests were made during the 16-month operation, which resulted in a scathing review over "numerous errors". The Independent Police Complaints Commission opened an investigation into detectives allegedly misleading a district judge in order to obtain search warrants.

Lord Bramall had his housed searched. Credit: PA

A spokeswoman for the Met said: "We can confirm the Met has reached a settlement with Lord Bramall and Lady Brittan."

The exact fee paid out has not been confirmed, but is reported to be £100,000.

Former Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe apologised to those named during the probe, while Lord Bramall spoke of his anger that his wife, who had been suffering from dementia, died before he had been cleared.

And Lady Brittan hit out after it emerged police decided her husband had no case to answer but failed to tell him before he died of cancer.