David Cameron steps into child abuse row over war hero Lord Bramall

Scotland Yard 'must give peer some comfort' after claims are dropped
Ex-soldier: Boris Johnson said his Lord Bramall's name had been 'dragged through the mud'
Neil Munns/PA Wire
Joseph Watts18 January 2016
WEST END FINAL

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David Cameron dramatically intervened in the Lord Bramall row today, urging Scotland Yard to give the war hero “some comfort” after child abuse claims against him were dropped.

The Prime Minister stepped in after Mayor Boris Johnson said the highly-decorated soldier’s name had been “dragged through the mud” and that there were reasons he deserved an apology.

As the Met faced growing pressure to apologise, Mr Cameron said: “If they feel they get it wrong, I hope they can feel big enough to be able to give people some comfort afterwards.”

He also praised Lord Bramall as a “wonderful man with a great record of serving our country”

The Prime Minister stressed that his ordeal, which saw him publicly accused of rape and investigated for months only to have officers suddenly drop their inquiry due to a lack of evidence, would have been “very distressing”.

But the Met refused to back down saying it was right that “grave allegations” were thoroughly investigated.

If [the Met Police] feel they get it wrong, I hope they can feel big enough to be able to give people some comfort afterwards

&#13; <p>David Cameron</p>&#13;

An inquiry was launched when a man known only as “Nick” accused Lord Bramall, a veteran of the D-Day landings, of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1984.

Scotland Yard made its climb-down on Friday, saying there was “insufficient evidence” to ask prosecutors to launch a case against the Field Marshal.

Mr Cameron said on BBC radio: “He is a wonderful man, with a great record of serving our country and I think what happened to him would have been very distressing.

“It’s very difficult for a Prime Minister to get involved in these arguments because the police and the prosecuting services must be free to follow the evidence where it leads and go after people no matter how high and mighty they are.

"But if they feel they get it wrong I hope they can feel big enough to be able to give people some comfort afterwards.”

The 92-year-old soldier’s accuser claimed the abuse took place at a military base more than 30 years ago.

But in his Daily Telegraph column today Mr Johnson argued that “not a shred of evidence was ever produced” to support the accusations.

He said: “Why should field marshals get an apology, and not everyone else? Well, I think there is an answer to that — and it is that Lord Bramall’s very fame and distinction have helped to make things not better and easier for him, but much, much worse.”

Soon after Lord Bramall was accused last year 20 officers raided his home and spent hours rifling through his possessions as his terminally ill wife looked on. She has since died.

Lord Bramall was later interviewed under caution over the allegations, despite the claims not being corroborated.

The man called Nick had also made separate unproved murder allegations against an establishment paedophile gang.

A Met spokesman said: “Operation Midland will continue to investigate allegations of historic child sexual abuse and homicide which involves a number of potential locations over a period of several years.

"It is right that such grave allegations are thoroughly investigated.”

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