Ex-MP: Woman 'lied about abuse and Cannock Chase sex ring claims'

John Hemming, ex-Liberal Democrat MP, made the allegation about former Walsall schoolgirl Esther Baker in a letter of complaint to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In 2015, Ms Baker sparked a two-year police investigation after alleging a child sex abuse ring operated on the Chase.

She waived her anonymity to claim children were assaulted during the 1980s and 90s while others filmed the heinous acts and police stood watch.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to secure convictions.

Inquiry

Mr Hemming’s letter comes as it emerged Ms Baker had been awarded ‘core participant’ status at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Mr Hemming, who was MP for Birmingham Yardley, has written to the CPS demanding answers, according to reports.

His letter says: “I am writing to express concern about the slow handling of allegations about me made by Esther Baker that are currently being considered by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

“The CPS should also consider my counter complaint that Ms Baker deliberately lied, and therefore committed the offence of perverting the course of justice.”

After the CPS dropped the case, Mr Hemming said in a statement the allegations saw him face a ‘dreadful experience’, which resulted in ‘campaign of vilification’ against him.

Speaking about suggestions the police could investigate an attempt to pervert the course of justice, Ms Baker said: “I am quite open for them to try. I have done nothing wrong.”

A CPS spokesman confirmed an initial decision on Ms Baker’s file had been to take no further action.

However, since she enforced her Victims’ Right to Review, the matter is now being considered by an independent prosecutor.

Mr Hemming has also written to the inquiry’s chairman Professor Alexis Jay calling for her to rethink her decision on Ms Baker’s participation in proceedings.