Editing Harvey Proctor (section)

==Operation Midland investigation==
On 4 March 2015, Proctor's home, on the Belvoir estate, was searched by the [[Metropolitan Police]] as part of the [[Operation Midland]] investigation into allegations of historical child sexual abuse and related homicides. Proctor denied any wrongdoing in an interview with the ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|Today]]'' programme.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-Conservative MP Harvey Proctor's home searched by police|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31744282|accessdate=5 March 2015|work=BBC News|date=5 March 2015}}</ref> He retired from his job with the Duke and Duchess of Rutland on 25 March 2015, "with immediate effect".<ref name=Evans>Martin Evans [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11493844/Harvey-Proctor-quits-job-after-home-is-searched-by-abuse-probe-cops.html "Harvey Proctor quits job after home is searched by abuse probe cops"], ''Daily Telegraph'', 25 March 2015</ref>

Proctor was questioned by the police regarding the allegations in June, and again in August 2015. He held a press conference at [[St Ermin's Hotel]], London on 25 August 2015, and gave several media interviews. He described the inquiry as a "homosexual witch hunt", stating: "I'm a homosexual. I'm not a murderer or a paedophile. I'm completely innocent of all these allegations."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/former-tory-mp-denies-child-murder-claims|title=Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor denies child murder claims|work=Channel 4 News|date=25 August 2015|accessdate=25 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34054955|title=Ex-MP Harvey Proctor denies child abuse claims|work=BBC News|date=25 August 2015|accessdate=25 August 2015}}</ref>

On 21 March 2016, Proctor was told that he would face no further action. He was the last living person under investigation by Operation Midland, and called for an independent inquiry into it, for the resignations of senior officers involved, and for his accuser to be prosecuted for [[perverting the course of justice]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/12200144/Operation-Midland-Harvey-Proctor-told-he-faces-no-further-action.html|title=Operation Midland: Harvey Proctor told he faces no further action|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=21 March 2016|accessdate=21 March 2016}}</ref> Proctor wrote an open letter to all MPs published in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' on 21 March 2016. The Metropolitan Police closed Operation Midland with no charges brought and no files passed to the [[Crown Prosecution Service]]. Proctor held a further press conference on 29 March 2016 and was interviewed on many news outlets including BBC, ITV, [[Sky News]] and ''[[Channel 4 News]]'' and BBC ''[[Newsnight]]'' programmes.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Following the publication of [[Richard Henriques|Sir Richard Henriques]]' Report on Operation Midland and other police investigations on 8 November 2016, [[Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe]], the [[Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis]], apologised to Proctor and others for the over 40 mistakes made by the Metropolitan Police service in Operation Midland. He said Proctor was innocent of all the allegations. On 15 November 2016 Hogan-Howe met Proctor at Hogan-Howe's request in Dean's Yard, London and repeated his apology for the MPS's mistakes. Proctor sued the Metropolitan Police in February 2017.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/victims-of-abuse-inquiry-blunders-sue-met-for-3m-fx59stc2h |last1=O'Neill |last2=Hamilton |first1= Sean |first2= Fiona | work=[[The Times]]| title=Victims of abuse inquiry blunders sue Met for £3m | date= 14 February 2017 | accessdate= 15 February 2017}}</ref>

On 10 October 2017, Proctor criticised [[Mike Veale]], the Chief Constable of [[Wiltshire Police]], for allegedly "trashing" his reputation a second time by reviving claims of an establishment paedophile ring. Veale had called for a fresh inquiry into claims of cover-up and conspiracy in Westminster.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/police-chief-is-trashing-my-reputation-says-harvey-proctor-8whrglfhx|title=Wiltshire police chief Mike Veale is trashing my reputation, says Harvey Proctor|first=Fiona |last=Hamilton|date=10 October 2017|work=The Times}}</ref>

In June 2019, Proctor appeared at [[Newcastle Crown Court]] where he gave evidence at the trial of [[Operation Midland|Carl Beech]], who was accused of lying to police about the alleged VIP paedophile ring investigated by Operation Midland. Proctor said: "The allegations are wrong, malicious, false, horrendous" and later explained that intense media interest, following the police raid, had led to him losing his job and then him deciding to move to Spain as the UK "wasn't safe".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48705912|title=Abuse claims 'horrendous' says former MP|date=20 June 2019|accessdate=20 June 2019|work=BBC News}}</ref> At that trial, Beech was convicted for making false claims against Proctor and other victims, and sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49074879|title=Carl Beech trial: 'VIP abuse' accuser guilty of false claims|date=22 July 2019|accessdate=23 July 2019|work=BBC News}}</ref>

In September 2019, Proctor criticised the [[Independent Office for Police Conduct]] for clearing the Met officers who investigated allegations made by Beech. Proctor said that "to fail to condemn this police misbehaviour in the strongest terms and at the first opportunity, is a dereliction of duty".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/08/harvey-proctor-attacks-police-watchdog-after-met-officers-cleared|title=Harvey Proctor attacks police watchdog after Met officers cleared|last=Greenfield|first=Patrick|date=8 September 2019|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

In November 2019, it was reported that Proctor received a £900,000 payout in compensation and legal fees from the Metropolitan Police as a result of the police force's handling of the failed Operation Midland.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Martin |title=Harvey Proctor slams Met as he accepts £900,000 payout for disastrous Operation Midland sex abuse probe |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/28/harvey-proctor-receive-900000-metropolitan-police-handling-vip/ |website=The Telegraph |accessdate=11 April 2020 |date=28 November 2019}}</ref>