A statement from the Mayor, Sadiq Khan:
Last week, Sir Richard Henriques published a report into the Met police’s handling of cases of historic sexual abuse.
Given the serious nature and potential legal issues surrounding the material, Sir Richard agreed to redactions 'to safeguard any future actions which may be taken by others’, and to protect victims and those who have been falsely or inconclusively accused.
It is clear from the extracts published that a series of extremely serious errors were made by the Met in their handling of Operation Midland. And while the report does praise some of the Met’s investigative work, this good work has been inconsistent.
We are now working closely with the Met to ensure that any learning from this report is fully integrated into future practice. The most important aspect for us is that victims of rape and sexual assault feel confident to come forward and report crimes and that all allegations are treated seriously by the Met, and myself and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime will work closely with the Met and other key agencies to ensure victims are always fully supported.