The man whose claims of a VIP paedophile ring sparked a £2m Scotland Yard investigation targeting pillars of the establishment has been charged with 12 counts of lying to detectives and receiving £22,000 in compensation through fraud.
The claims by “Nick”, made first in the media and then to detectives, led to the Metropolitan police’s disastrous Operation Midland investigation.
The Crown Prosecution Service said on Tuesday he had been charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice which allege he made up evidence to support his claims to police made between 2012 and 2016.
His allegations led to the Met investigating and raiding the homes of public figures including the former military chief Lord Bramall, the former home secretary Leon Brittan and the former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor.