A man known only as Nick, whose claims sparked a major police investigation into an alleged Westminster paedophile ring, is to be charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
The accuser, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, made a series of bombshell allegations when he claimed that he had been abused for nine years by a VIP gang.
The resulting £2.5 million Metropolitan Police investigation, dubbed Operation Midland, saw officers raiding the homes of prominent figures including Lord Bramall, the late ex-home secretary Lord Brittan and and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor - but closed without a single arrest.
Frank Ferguson, CPS Head of Special Crime, said: "The CPS has considered a file of evidence from Northumbria Police relating to allegations of perverting the course of justice and fraud by a 50-year-old man.
"The police investigation provided evidence that the man had made a number of false allegations alleging multiple homicides and sexual abuse said to have been carried out in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Following careful consideration, we have concluded there is sufficient evidence to bring a number of criminal charges.
"He has today been charged with 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud and will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court in due course."
Nick faces 12 counts of perverting the course of justice over lurid claims including allegations of child murder, rape and torture by senior figures in politics, the Army and security services.
The fraud charge alleges that he falsely claimed £22,000 from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority by saying "he was subjected to abuse by a paedophile ring, knowing this to be untrue and intending thereby to make a gain for himself."
Labour peer and former MP Lord Janner was among those accused and died in 2015 before his name was cleared.
His son, Daniel Janner QC, had vowed to bring a private prosecution if the CPS did not pursue the charges.
He said on Tuesday that he would now "happily" drop those plans.
Reporting by PA
