A former Tory MP accused of being a child murderer and violent paedophile – by a man later charged with lying over the claims – broke down in tears as he told a court the allegations were “the ravings of a fantasist”.

Harvey Proctor insisted he was not part of a Westminster paedophile ring and called the accusations against him “wrong, malicious, false” and “horrendous” as he gave evidence in the trial of Carl Beech.

Beech, who was known by the name “Nick” when his claims were first reported in the media, denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one charge of fraud.

Mr Proctor broke down in tears in the witness box at Newcastle Crown Court as he denied claims that he was involved in three separate child murders.

Jurors have previously seen a police video interview in which Beech told detectives he saw Mr Proctor rape and murder a boy by stabbing him in the arm and choking him in 1980.

The defendant, a father-of-one, also claimed Mr Proctor was involved in the murder of another unknown child in a London townhouse.

Mr Proctor, 72, told the court that the allegation that he tied a boy to a table, stabbing and raping him before strangling him was “false” and resulted from a “polluted imagination”.

The former politician described another claim that he and former home secretary Leon Brittan killed a boy as “more ravings of a fantasist”.

He also denied the accusation that he was involved in the murder of a boy run down by a car by a paedophile ring.

On the nature of Beech’s allegations, Mr Proctor said: “He is bearing false witness. There was no Westminster paedophile ring.”

Mr Proctor told jurors he felt it was “extraordinary” that a detective had described the allegations made by Beech as “credible and true”, even before he realised the accusations would be made against him.

He became emotional in court when he recalled in March 2015 seeing his face on television news the morning after his home was raided by murder squad detectives from the Metropolitan Police.

He said he had been determined to face the allegations and went on the Today radio programme, where he said the allegations were a “horrendous, irrational nightmare”.

Mr Proctor later lost the job he enjoyed, working for the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.

He said detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s murder squad searched his property in connection with “historic child sexual abuse” for 15 hours.

The witness told the court he was fearful of the press reporting the incident, given that he had admitted four counts of gross indecency in 1987.

He had been effectively outed as a homosexual by a newspaper, and said that his beloved role as an MP for Billericay was no longer possible.

When asked how this felt, he said: “I thought my life had come to an end, really.

“Something which I thought I would do for the rest of my life, subject to the wishes of the electorate, was torn away from me.”

Mr Proctor outlined how his political views were at odds with former prime minister Ted Heath – also named by Beech as one of the alleged paedophile ring, along with army generals and security chiefs.

Describing how he first met Mr Heath in 1966, the witness said: “He had a wet, limp handshake. It rather reflected his character.”

He added they were later the “antithesis of friends” and neither was welcome at the other’s home.

The trial of Beech, 51, from Gloucester, was adjourned until Friday.

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