Sick fantasist Carl Beech who made false claims of VIP paedophile ring LOSES bid to have his 18-year sentence for perverting justice slashed

Sick VIP paedophile ring fantasist Carl Beech has today lost his appeal to have his 18-year prison sentence slashed.

The 52-year-old, who made up a string of false claims about being raped and abused by famous Westminster figures, was today told by a Court of Appeal judge his sentence was 'fully justified'.

His lawyers had tried to argue Beech's sentence should be cut, as no-one was charged or faced court actions because of his accusations.

But prosecutors argued against the appeal, saying Beech's claims had a 'devastating impact' on those falsely accused.

In his ruling today, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith said the reputations of Beech's victims were 'traduced' on a national and global scale. 

Sick VIP paedophile ring fantasist Carl Beech )pictured during one of his police interviews) has today lost his appeal to have his 18-year prison sentence reduced

Beech was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court in July 2019 after he was found guilty of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud.

He had falsely claimed that he had been sadistically raped and abused by famous Westminster figures in the 1970s and 1980s.

Among those falsely accused by Beech were Normandy veteran Field Marshal Lord Bramall, who has since died aged 95, the late Lord Brittan and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor.

Those he named as supposed 'abusers' also included former prime minister Sir Edward Heath, late Labour MP Greville Janner, disgraced TV star Jimmy Savile, and security chiefs Sir Michael Hanley and Sir Maurice Oldfield, who were the heads of MI5 and MI6 respectively.

Beech was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court in July 2019 after he was found guilty of 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud

After his sentencing last year, Beech launched a bid to get his sentence cut. 

Beech's barrister, Collingwood Thompson QC, told the Court of Appeal that no-one was charged or faced court proceedings as a result of the former nurse's actions.

Mr Thompson said the 'limited nature' of the appeal focused on the part of Beech's sentence for the specific charges of perverting the course of justice.

He added: 'If you look at this case, it lacks one aggravating factor, which is that as a result of the false allegations someone was charged.'

But Tony Badenoch QC, who was the prosecutor at Beech's trial, told the court the defendant 'traduced reputations' of his victims by making 'the most lurid accusations'.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith said victim impact statements showed the 'devastating impact' the accusations had, not just on the victims, but on their friends and family.

Dismissing the appeal, he said the factors of the case 'fully justify' the sentence imposed by the trial judge, adding that it 'cannot be argued' that the sentence was excessive.  

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Proctor said: 'The decision of the court is excellent and it draws attention to the damage that false accusers can make and is a deterrent to further false accusers in the future.'

In 2014, Beech approached the Metropolitan Police claiming that, as a child, he and others were sexually abused by a group of powerful men, a so-called VIP paedophile ring of MPs and Military Officers that went to the very top of the British establishment. 

Backing Beech as a credible source, The Met Police launched Operation Midland in November 2014, aiming to bring Beech's supposed abusers to justice.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith at the Court of Appeal (pictured: The Royal Courts of Justice in London) said the reputations of the victims were 'traduced' on a national and global scale.

With Beech as their key witness, the Met Police launched their operation, a £2million widespread investigation aiming to bring this supposed elite group of offenders to justice.

But as Beech's his claims were escalated, the details of his allegations became more elaborate.

He claimed to police that he had seen three boys killed by the group, including one boy he said was deliberately run over, another who he said was strangled after being raped, and a third who he claimed beaten to death.

But the truth was more shocking than officers could have anticipated, as there was no VIP paedophile ring.

Instead, Beech had fabricated the story, spinning a web of lies, while revelling in the attention.

As the investigation rumbled on, the police struggled to corroborate the information Beech was giving them.

Eventually, the tables were turned on Beech as police started digging into his personal affairs.

In another twist, officers discovered images of child abuse on Beech's computer as well as disturbing pictures he had drawn.

In May 2019, Beech stood trial and was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, fraud and obtaining child pornography.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison in July that year.

For Daniel Janner QC, the son of former Labour MP Greville Janner, who was one of the names put forward by Beech, the verdict put to bed years of stress for him and his family.

In a documentary about Beech, called Faking It: Tears of a Criminal, which was released earlier this year, Mr Janner said: 'When I heard about these allegations about my father, I, along with other members of the family, was so upset that it did have a physical reaction, I vomited when I heard the allegation was made.

'I told the judge the horrendous affect that these allegations had on my family, and I was pleased to do it in the presence of the jury and Carl Beech himself.

Mr Janner added: 'He is a manipulative plainly sad but wicked man.'