Lady Brittan speaks about her husband not being told he was in the clear over rape claim

Inquiry: Diana Brittan together with her late husband Leon in 2013 - the previous Residence Secretary was investigated over rape allegations the next yr however was by no means instructed he had been cleared earlier than he died

Lord Brittan's widow at the moment revealed the turbulent last months of her husband's life and her anger that the Met failed to inform him he had been cleared of rape earlier than he died.

The previous Residence Secretary was investigated over claims he attacked 19-year-old 'Jane' in 1967 after Scotland Yard known as him as he lay in a hospital mattress recovering from a most cancers operation in 2014.

The baseless rape declare was made in opposition to the peer by a mentally sick Labour activist - however police failed to tell him earlier than his dying from most cancers in January final yr that he was harmless.

His spouse of 35 years has spoken publicly for the primary time at the moment and revealed she solely came upon he was cleared from a report in a Sunday newspaper. 

She mentioned: 'I solely discovered that out, actually, due to the press tales. I am by no means completely positive when the case was dropped and definitely Leon was by no means instructed.

'I felt let down. I feel he ought to have identified that he was harmless of the fees earlier than he died, however that did not occur,' she mentioned in an interview resulting from be broadcast on BBC Radio four this night.  

'I feel, notably for him, he ought to have identified that he was harmless of the fees earlier than he died, however that did not occur.'

Requested how he handled the scenario, Woman Brittan mentioned: 'I feel he saved it very a lot to himself as a result of his main goal throughout these previous few months was to get higher, get effectively, do every little thing that he might to get effectively.'

Woman Brittan mentioned her husband was in hospital when she first realized he was below investigation.

Failed: Woman Brittan mentioned she came upon her husband had no case to reply from a newspaper and that the Met - led by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe - solely let her know a month after that

'I went to see him one afternoon and he mentioned 'I've simply been simply been rung by the police'. I mentioned 'What's it about?' He mentioned 'I am not terribly positive, however I've simply mentioned to them I am going to ring my attorneys'.

'After which the attorneys rang me, after which they mentioned to me that is an previous rape allegation, 47 years previous, in opposition to Leon.

'After which, about a few weeks later, he was interviewed below warning. And on the finish of it he felt completely assured in his personal thoughts that will be the top of the matter.'

Woman Brittan mentioned she came upon from a newspaper report that the police had determined to not pursue the matter.

'I learnt, it will need to have been in July of the next yr after he died, from the Impartial on Sunday, there was a press report, that no additional motion would have been taken.

'I then obtained my attorneys to write down to the police saying 'Was this story true?' as a result of they hadn't bothered to tell me, and I suppose, a couple of month later, I obtained a reply.'

Woman Brittan mentioned the reply said: '"Um, we would not have continued it, not sufficient proof, um, sorry we have induced you misery."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Settle, whose unique choice to not interview Lord Brittan was overturned by senior Metropolitan Law enforcement officials, condemned the way in which the household was handled.

He instructed the BBC: 'I feel they had been handled completely atrociously, and my view was that he by no means want know that anyone had made a spurious allegation in opposition to him.'

Harvey Proctor, pictured at a press convention final yr, additionally revealed the 'agony' of dealing with repeated unfounded allegations

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Settle's profession has been ruined - he says that the Brittans had been handled 'attrociously'

Mr Settle additionally mentioned the Met had tried to cease him giving proof to the Commons Residence Affairs Committee on the matter final yr. 

One in every of Scotland Yard's most senior officers is being investigated for alleged misconduct in its shambolic VIP baby intercourse abuse inquiry.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse, 'gold commander' in Operation Midland, was formally knowledgeable he's below investigation by the Impartial Police Complaints Fee.

He's considered one of 5 Met officers whose conduct within the disgraced inquiry is being probed by the IPCC.

Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe supplied to see Diana Brittan however she declined earlier this month

Operation Midland was triggered by a fantasist referred to as Nick who falsely claimed to have witnessed three murders by an Institution paedophile ring together with ex PM Edward Heath and former Tory Residence Secretary Leon Brittan.

The opposite officers being investigated by the IPCC embody Detective Superintendent Kenny McDonald, who described Nick's bogus proof as 'credible and true' on the outset of the inquiry.

The conduct of Detective Chief Inspector Diane Tudway, the senior investigating officer in Operation Midland, can also be being probed by the police watchdog.

All 5 had been referred to the IPCC this month after a damning evaluation of the 16-month investigation by retired Excessive Court docket choose Sir Richard Henriques discovered there had been 'quite a few errors' within the inquiry, and that the only alleged sufferer, referred to as Nick, had been too readily believed.

Sir Richard accused the Met of deceptive a choose into granting search warrants to raid the properties of three VIPs accused by Nick: the late Lord Brittan, ex Military chief Lord Bramall and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor.

Sir Richard, who was known as in to evaluation the drive's dealing with of intercourse crime claims in opposition to excessive profile suspects, mentioned the trio's reputations 'had been shattered by the phrase of a single, uncorroborated complainant'.

Along with the Operation Midland probe, the IPCC can also be investigating alleged misconduct by Mr Rodhouse in a separate, bungled rape inquiry into Lord Brittan. He denies any wrongdoing.

Nick is now dealing with investigation for allegedly making an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Woman Brittan was talking to Radio four's The Briefing Room, with the interview resulting from be broadcast tonight, Thursday, at 8pm.

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