A man accused of making up claims about a Westminster VIP paedophile ring set up a fake email address to back up his story, a court heard.

Carl Beech, previously known by the pseudonym “Nick”, is on trial accused of making up claims that high-profile figures, including politicians, sexually and physically abused young boys in the 1970s.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 51-year-old father, from Gloucester, pretended to be a witness named “Fred” to back up his own account.

But his story fell apart when Northumbria Police found he had set up an encrypted email account for Fred.

Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, said: “Carl Beech purported to be speaking with another person, Fred, and ultimately Fred went on to contact, through email, the Metropolitan Police. Or so it seemed.

Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Show all 9 1 /9 Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Carl Beech, 51, from Gloucester, is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of making up false claims about a Westminster VIP paedophile ring. PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Previously unissued court artist sketch dated 07/05/2019 by Elizabeth Cook of Carl Beech, known as Nick, at Newcastle Crown Court where he denied 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Photo credit should read: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire Elizabeth Cook PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Carl Beech as a child. PA/CPS Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Carl Beech, 51, in a swimming pool. Police investigating an accuser's claims that a VIP paedophile ring had operated in Westminster, and murdered three boys, found elements of his story were "totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised and irredeemably contradicted", a court heard. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Carl Beech, known by the pseudonym Nick, went on the run to Sweden when his extremely damaging allegations were proved to be false, jurors were told. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Crown Prosecution Service PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Carl Beech, 51, in a swimming pool. Police investigating an accuser's claims that a VIP paedophile ring had operated in Westminster, and murdered three boys, found elements of his story were "totally unfounded, hopelessly compromised and irredeemably contradicted", a court heard. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Carl Beech, known by the pseudonym Nick, went on the run to Sweden when his extremely damaging allegations were proved to be false, jurors were told. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Crown Prosecution Service PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims One of the sketches drawn by Carl Beech. PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of sketches and notes made by Westminster paedophile accuser Carl Beech. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Crown Prosecution Service PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of sketches and notes made by Westminster paedophile accuser Carl Beech. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Crown Prosecution Service PA Westminster VIP abuse accuser on trial for making 'unfounded' claims Undated handout photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of sketches and notes made by Westminster paedophile accuser Carl Beech. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 14, 2019. See PA story COURTS Westminster. Photo credit should read: Crown Prosecution Service/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Crown Prosecution Service PA

“When investigations were completed by officers - again using international co-operation - they went to the email provider.

“It was an encrypted email account. The encryption on the email address for which Fred was corresponding had not been set up by Fred.

“The person behind the encrypted email account was Carl Beech.”

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Mr Beech denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud – relating to a payment in 2013 of £22,000 for criminal injuries.

Mr Badenoch said the defendant used the criminal injuries pay out as a deposit on his Ford Mustang convertible.

Mr Beech first came forward to tell Wiltshire Police and then the Metropolitan Police that he had been abused as a child in the 1970s by a group of powerful men, including former prime minister Sir Edward Heath, the head of the Army and the chiefs of MI5 and MI6.

He also claimed the paedophile ring, which he said included the ex-MP Harvey Proctor, had murdered three boys.

The father-of-one had drawn sketches that appeared to be related to the abuse he claimed to have suffered, including demons and smaller figures surrounded by red.

Mr Badenoch said Mr Beech’s best man John was tracked down, but he had nothing to do with the email account that was used to contact the Metropolitan Police.

The court heard that once the £2m Operation Midland ended with no arrests, Northumbria Police were tasked to investigate Mr Beech.

The trial continues.