A former nurse accused of fabricating claims of an establishment paedophile ring told police that ex-prime minister Sir Edward Heath stepped in to stop him being beaten by a Tory MP, a court has heard.

Carl Beech, known under the pseudonym “Nick”, alleged to a Scotland Yard detective that Heath prevented ex-Conservative MP Harvey Proctor from assaulting him when he was a schoolboy.

Beech claimed that in a separate incident, Proctor threatened to cut his genitals with a penknife before handing him the weapon, Newcastle crown court was told.

Beech also alleged Heath – who he said once told him he “used to run the country” – sexually assaulted him on his yacht.

Beech, who is himself a convicted paedophile after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children in a separate trial, is accused of lying about claims of a VIP abuse ring leading to £2m police investigation, which ended without making a single arrest.

The 51-year-old, from Gloucester, alleged he was among the victims of a group of senior figures in politics, the military and the intelligence services whom he claimed raped, kidnapped and murdered boys in the late 1970s and early 80s.

He denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud over a £22,000 criminal compensation payout he received.

In a recorded interview with DS James Townly in October 2014, Beech claimed Heath, who he said reminded him of his grandfather, was in attendance when he was made to perform a sex act on Proctor, the court heard.

Beech told the detective: “The next thing, he just started laying into me and hitting. Edward stopped him and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it though he didn’t question it.”

Beech said this occurred after an incident where he alleged Proctor wanted to cut him with a penknife but was stopped by another gang member, the court heard.

He alleged Proctor warned him: “Next time … ”, before putting the weapon into Beech’s trousers. Beech gave the penknife to the detective, telling him he had stored it in a box.

Beech also claimed to the Scotland Yard detective that Heath had abused him on his yacht, Morning Cloud. He alleged he had been assaulted by the former prime minister in one of the cabins, telling the police officer: “He touched me, I didn’t have to do anything to him, I just lay there.”

Meanwhile, senior military figures pinned poppies through his skin and sexually abused him at annual Remembrance parties, Beech told the officer.

Jurors also heard how Beech told DS Townly during the interview his pet dog was kidnapped as punishment for missing a meeting with his alleged abusers.

Beech said Sir Michael Hanley, the late former head of MI5, confronted him at the school gates to inform him the group had taken his dog, Heron, as a warning.

Beech said that when he was attending school in Kingston, south-west London, his dog had gone missing when she was being walked by his aunt.

He told the detective the abuse ring knew he had a pet, where he lived and who his teachers were, the court heard.

Aged about 13, he claimed he forgot to attend a meeting with the group and “the punishment was they took my dog”. Beech was “absolutely devastated” and searched for his pet.

He told DS Townly: “Michael [Hanley, the former head of MI5 whom Beech claimed was part of the gang] came to me outside school. He didn’t have her in the car but they had taken Heron, my dog, and they had taken her as a warning. They kept her for five days and then they let her go.”

Beech said he later collected his dog, who was unharmed, from Surbiton police station.

The trial continues.



