Former Conservative MP’s house searched as part of investigation into child sex abuse
By Mark Conrad | 4 March 2015
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service’s ‘Operation Midland’, together with local officers, this morning started searching Proctor’s property near Grantham, Lincolnshire. His home is part of the 16,000-acre estate of Belvoir Castle, which is owned by the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.
Officers spent much of the day searching the property, and “made enquiries” of several people.
Asked whether police had been at the estate today, a spokesman for the castle said: “The answer is, yes. I can confirm that they were on the site, but I cannot confirm any more details at this point.”
A Met spokeswoman confirmed that the search was still continuing this evening.
She would only say: “Officers from Operation Midland are carrying out a search of an address in Grantham in connection with their inquiries.”
Proctor could not be reached for comment tonight.
Sources close to the investigation say that Proctor, 68, had not been arrested.
At least 20 officers are understood to have taken part in the search today of Proctor’s home and other properties in their wide-ranging investigation. The police team includes forensic specialists.
Operation Midland is investigating allegations of child sex abuse more than three decades ago in Dolphin Square, the apartment complex near Parliament where many MPs have their London homes. It is also investigating allegations that three boys were murdered by a network of VIP paedophiles.
Proctor was an MP from 1979 to 1987, initially for Basildon, then Billericay. He was also a leading figure for many years in the far-right Conservative group, the Monday Club.
Since 2002, Proctor has been the private secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, David Manners and his wife, Emma. He is also responsible for “public and park events” for Belvoir Castle.
Operation Midland was launched last year after a key witness known as ‘Nick’ came forward initially to Exaro to give an account of child sex abuse at Dolphin Square and elsewhere. He then agreed to talk to detectives, accompanied at his first meeting by an Exaro reporter.
At that first meeting with police, Nick handed to officers a list of 12 prominent people who he claims sexually abused him.
Exaro later revealed that the 12 include Sir Peter Hayman, the former high commissioner to Canada and a senior MI6 officer.
Nick also named Lord Brittan, former home secretary, who died in January, as one of his abusers at Dolphin Square.
If you have information that might help our investigation into child sex abuse, please contact us. Keep re-visiting Exaro for more on this investigation.
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