Sir Richard Henriques has called again for police not to refer to those who make unsubstantiated allegations as 'victims'

Police should refer to those who make accusations of sexual offences as 'complainants' rather than 'victims' to avoid the 'presumption' they are telling the truth and the accused party is guilty, a retired High Court judge has said.

Sir Richard Henriques initially made the recommendation in his 2016 report into the Metropolitan Police's disastrous Operation Midland investigation, which was based on the lies of Carl Beech, then known as 'Nick', about an alleged VIP paedophile ring at Westminster.

Detectives raided the homes of elderly distinguished men on the uncorroborated word of Beech - who was himself a paedophile - and publicly described his account as 'credible and true'.

Following Beech's conviction and jailing for 18 years Sir Richard today reiterates his advice that a change in language would help prevent police assuming guilt.

But the Metropolitan Police, who disciplined none of its officers over the Midland debacle, have again dismissed his advice.

Sir Richard told the Sunday Times: 'People who come forward should be referred to as complainants, not victims.

'There should be no presumption that the complaint is true . . . then there is a presumption that the person accused is guilty.

'That flies in the face of the presumption of innocence. That is at the very heart of what went wrong in this case.'

Carl Beech was convicted of perverting the course of justice and fraud and sentenced to 18 years behind bars last month at Newcastle Crown Court

When the recommendation was made in 2016 as one of 25 in Sir Richard's report - the full text of which has never been made public - the Met rejected it.

The force wrote: 'Not accepted. This would require legislative change.'

Today a spokeswoman insisted the force stood by its policy.

She said: 'The recommendation was not accepted by police as victim was a commonly accepted term across a wide range of guidance, policy and legislation.

'Additionally there would be victims of crime in cases where no court case could be pursued and this could erode trust and confidence of victims.

'CPS [the Crown Prosecution Service] use both complainant and victim.

'They will use the term complainant when related to casework – both individual cases and in guidance, and in public communications which refers to specific individuals, if prior to a conviction.

'They use the term ‘victim’ when not referring to individuals.'

Lord Bramall (left) and Harvey Proctor (right) were among those whose reputations were traduced by Beech's extraordinary lies and the police reaction to his tales

Carl Beech, 51, was jailed last month for 18 years after telling police officers a string of lies about alleged child sex abuse and murder by politicians, army officers and senior intelligence officials.

He was treated as a victim from the outset, said Henriques, rather than the veracity of his claims being tested.

Most victims' groups strongly support the use of the word victim.

A letter to the Times from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood says: 'It is tragic that lives were ruined by Beech's false accusations.

'It is equally if not more tragic that a climate of increasing scepticism is stopping survivors coming forward to seek the justice and support they deserve.'