A former MP who was wrongly accused in the fake Westminster abuse scandal has walked out an BBC interview, saying he was not being allowed to speak.
Harvey Proctor was being interviewed by Naga Munchetty when he removed her earpiece and walked offset.
Partway through the interview, as Ms Muchetty was trying to quote from a police press statement, he said “I’m not having this, I’m sorry” – and left.
Mr Proctor was falsely accused by Carl Beech, who is now serving an 18 year jail sentence for fabricating a series of claims of rape, torture and murder by high-profile political and military figures.
The former Conservative MP was being asked about the effect the allegation had on his life.
Lost job, home and reputation
Mr Proctor said: “What happened to me was that I lost my job, my home and my repute as a result of a fantasist who were believed by the Metropolitan Police.”
He went on to criticise Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick, before Ms Munchetty tried to read out a statement from the police.
As she started reading the police statement, Mr Proctor said: “I respect your work very much but you must not invite people onto your programme and then not allow them to speak.”
The host replied: “I am allowing you to speak and I will allow you to speak but I also need to give a right to reply rather than letting you say things that are potentially incorrect or when people don’t have a right to reply.”
In response, Mr Proctor removed his earpiece and walked out of the interview, adding: “I’m not having this, I’m sorry.”
Flawed investigations
After he left, Ms Munchetty told viewers: “I think what was made very clear there is the impact that this investigation has had on his life.”
An inquiry into Operation Vincente and Operation Midland – two police investigations sparked by the Beech allegations – found search warrants for innocent suspects, including Mr Proctor, being “obtained unlawfully”.
The review by Sir Richard Henriques, a former High Court judge, found a “major contributing factor was the culture that ‘victims’ must be believed”.
He added that “poor judgement and a failure to accurately evaluate known facts” also played a major role in keeping the investigations active rather than closing them.
