Harvey Proctor brands sex claims by 'fantasist' Nick 'wrong, malicious, false ...

Former MP Harvey Proctor arrives at Newcastle Crown Court this morning

Former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor today slammed the claims of 'Nick' - the alleged fantasist who accused him of child rape and murder - as 'wrong, malicious, false, horrendous'.

Breaking down and weeping in the dock he shared his horror at the thought anyone could possibly believe him capable of the 'heinous' crimes of which he was accused. 

And he said he had called his extraordinary 2015 press conference, in which he laid out the vile allegations, to 'shout his innocence from the rooftops'. 

Beech claimed that when he was a child of around 12 in 1980, Proctor demanded oral sex, abused him with a pen knife, and murdered two children, one after tying him to a table, raping, and stabbing him.

Proctor was one of a dozen prominent men Beech accused of heinous child abuse, including former PM Ted Heath and former army head Lord Brammal.

At Newcastle Crown Court today prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC began by asking Mr Proctor, who was MP for Basildon and for Billericay between 1979 and 1987: 'You have been accused of the murder of children and of sadistic sexual offending what do you say to that?' 

Standing up tall, wearing a grey suit and gold tie, he answered: 'The allegations are wrong, malicious, false, horrendous.'

Mr Proctor wept in the dock as he told how Operation Midland detectives descended on his home at Belvoir Castle estate in Rutland, where he worked for the 11th Duke of Rutland.

And he described the Metropolitan Police's statement that Carl Beech's evidence was 'credible and true' as 'utterly balderdash.'

Mr Proctor said today the accusations were 'wrong, malicious, false, horrendous'

Mr Proctor said today the accusations were 'wrong, malicious, false, horrendous'

Mr Proctor said that he received a knock on the door on March 4 2015 to find a detective from the Metropolitan Police murder squad.

He said he was told that a search of his property was being done in connection with 'historic child sexual abuse', explaining how the search ran from 8am for around 15 hours.

Of the detectives, he said: 'I asked more questions of them than I got answers. They weren't very forthcoming with what it was that I was supposed to have done.'

He said he was fearful that the media may be informed after his experience in 1987 when he admitted gross indecency charges following a homosexual relationship.

He said: 'I was fearful knowing what happened in 1986 and 1987 whether I would be identified. He said I would not. I said I would therefore issue no statement if I was not identified.

'I didn't know it at the time but subsequently learnt that a member of a rather odd internet news agency called Exaro had telephoned my office and sent an email asking to confirm whether or not my home was being searched. This is two and a half hours before the police left my home.

'I am told Scotland Yard issued a statement. They said something along the line of a 60-year-old's house near Grantham, had been searched in connection with Operation Midland etc.

'I was trying to be as helpful as I could to the police in trying and difficult circumstances not knowing what it was all about.

The 13 charges facing Carl Beech

Beech denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. The charges allege he:

Made a false allegation of witnessing the child homicide of an unnamed boy committed by Harvey Proctor Made a false allegation of witnessing the homicide of a boy called Scott Made a false allegation of witnessing the homicide of another boy Falsely alleged that he had been sexually and physically abused by a paedophile ring, with senior military officers, military intelligence, a TV presenter and other unidentified men accused as members Falsely alleged that he had been sexually and physically abused by a paedophile ring, with politicians accused as members Provided a list of sexual abusers and locations falsely alleging he had been physically and sexually abused by said abusers at said locations Provided sketches of locations at which he claimed he had been abused, falsely claiming he had produced them from memory Provided the name Aubrey, falsely alleging Aubrey had been present and subjected to physical and sexual abuse when with him Provided a pen knife and two military epaulettes falsely alleging he had retained them from when he was abused as a child Falsely claimed that he had been seriously injured by sexual and physical abuse inflicted as a child Falsified a 'Proton' email account, and provided false information purportedly sent from 'Fred', an individual he had claimed was present when he was abused  Went together with investigators on site visits and falsely alleged that it was at locations identified by him during those visits that he had been subjected to physical and sexual abuse by a paedophile ring Falsely claimed £22,000 from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority saying he was subjected to abuse by a paedophile ring, knowing this to be untrue and intending to make a gain for himself

'Certainly knowing I had nothing to do with anything that could be of interest to the murder squad. I was tired, fearful and nervous of what had transpired that day I didn't go to sleep until 1am on the Thursday morning.

'I was not arrested. At the very earliest opportunity I said I wanted to be interviewed to discover what it was I was alleged to have done, not the generality but the detail and to make it clear I had nothing to do with historic child sexual abuse.'

He broke down in tears as he recounted seeing his face 'looking back at me' on the television the following morning.

'There was a story running at the head of the BBC news on TV that my house had been searched in connection with historic child sexual abuse including child murders.'

He then called Radio 4, which was covering the raid, and denied any involvement in the offences alleged live on air.

Mr Proctor had sharp criticism of the Metropolitan Police, who in December the previous year had described the account from Beech - then known as 'Nick' - as 'credible and true.'

As a result of those words Mr Proctor was dismissed from his job organising weddings and events on the Duke and Duchess of Rutland's estate. 

He said: 'There was intense media interest and pressure placed upon my employers to get me to retire and, if I would not retire, to sack me.  

'They were working on the principle based on the words of the Metropolitan Police - 'credible and true.'

'Detective Superintendent Kenny Mcdonald of the murder squad held a press conference in December 2014 before the start of any Metropolitan Police investigations and declared that he thought the person making these allegations was credible and true.

'I thought it was an extraordinary statement to be made by a senior police officer at the start of any investigation.

'At that time I did not know they referred to me. When I realised it did refer to me I knew It was utterly balderdash and the most extraordinary thing.'

Carl Beech, 51, on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of perverting the course of justice

Carl Beech, 51, on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of perverting the course of justice 

Shortly after his home was raided as part of Operation Midland, Mr Proctor (pictured) gave an extraordinary press conference at which he outlined and denied the accusations

Shortly after his home was raided as part of Operation Midland, Mr Proctor (pictured) gave an extraordinary press conference at which he outlined and denied the accusations

When he became aware of the details of the allegations Mr Proctor was horrified.

He said: 'They were horrendous, horrible, heinous allegations, the worst thing one human being can say about another, it was all untrue.

'How did I feel? On the one hand I was horrified anyone would feel I was capable of doing any of that, on the other I would feel relieved. I knew what I was being accused of and could fight back against these false allegations.'

Several months later he was finally given the witness statement 'Nick' had given to read.

In mid June 2015 he discovered he had been accused of strangling one boy to death and with others beating to death another. And he was also being accused of a part in the hit and run murder of a third. Beech claimed Mr Proctor had been involved in multiple rapes and beatings.

He told the court: 'I considered the document with my solicitors and took it home and read it and re-read it several times, thinking 'I have done none of this.'

'I thought the best thing to do was explain the situation, to deny all of the allegations made in this document against me, but in the spirit of trying to help the police understand why they had got it wrong.

'It was a relief I now knew what I faced, which I had not known for three and a half months, finally I knew what I was up against.

'The difficulty was defending myself against these monstrous allegations. How do you defend yourself from things that didn't happen?

'I thought it was going to be very difficult to prove where I was at any one particular time. The range of dates was so great that it would be impossible prove where I was over a period of 18 months.

'But I knew I could go into the interview and tell the Metropolitan Police detectives that they had got it absolutely wrong.'

Carl Beech aged 10

Carl Beech aged 10

The jury have been shown pictures of Carl Beech

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