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| Ted Heath would have been questioned over seven abuse claims, police say | Ted Heath would have been questioned over seven abuse claims, police say |
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| The police report into claims Sir Edward Heath sexually abused children says that seven allegations of rape and sexual assault would have merited his interview under criminal caution had he still been alive. | The police report into claims Sir Edward Heath sexually abused children says that seven allegations of rape and sexual assault would have merited his interview under criminal caution had he still been alive. |
| The claims against Heath that would have merited interview under caution span 31 years. The alleged rape is claimed to have occurred in 1961 with the alleged victim being 11 years old. | The claims against Heath that would have merited interview under caution span 31 years. The alleged rape is claimed to have occurred in 1961 with the alleged victim being 11 years old. |
| Heath was then MP for Bexley and the lord privy seal. The report says the alleged incident happened within the London area covered by the Metropolitan police. The report says: “Sir Edward Heath allegedly raped and indecently assaulted a male, aged 11 years, during a paid sexual encounter in private in a dwelling.” | Heath was then MP for Bexley and the lord privy seal. The report says the alleged incident happened within the London area covered by the Metropolitan police. The report says: “Sir Edward Heath allegedly raped and indecently assaulted a male, aged 11 years, during a paid sexual encounter in private in a dwelling.” |
| One offence of sexual abuse is alleged to have occurred in 1967 while Heath was leader the Conservative party; another when he was trade minister in 1964. None occurred while he was prime minister between 1970 and 1974, while two of the alleged offences occurred after that. | One offence of sexual abuse is alleged to have occurred in 1967 while Heath was leader the Conservative party; another when he was trade minister in 1964. None occurred while he was prime minister between 1970 and 1974, while two of the alleged offences occurred after that. |
| The report says the allegations received in seven cases led to Heath’s “suspected involvement in an offence” and thus the former prime minister would need to have been interviewed under criminal caution. | The report says the allegations received in seven cases led to Heath’s “suspected involvement in an offence” and thus the former prime minister would need to have been interviewed under criminal caution. |
| The report says: “Further to a proportionate investigation reasonable grounds exist that, if Sir Edward Heath had been alive today, he would have been interviewed under caution regarding his suspected involvement in an offence.” | The report says: “Further to a proportionate investigation reasonable grounds exist that, if Sir Edward Heath had been alive today, he would have been interviewed under caution regarding his suspected involvement in an offence.” |
| The report says that if he had still been alive and interviewed under caution “it is emphasised that his account would be as important as other evidence gathered as part of the wider investigation. | The report says that if he had still been alive and interviewed under caution “it is emphasised that his account would be as important as other evidence gathered as part of the wider investigation. |
| “Accordingly it is critical to stress that no inference of guilty should be drawn from the fact that Heath would have been interviewed under caution.” | “Accordingly it is critical to stress that no inference of guilty should be drawn from the fact that Heath would have been interviewed under caution.” |
| Heath became leader of the Conservative party in 1965. In 1970 he defied opinion polls to win a surprise general election victory and become prime minister. His four years in office were dogged by industrial strife, with his biggest achievement being Britain’s entry into the European economic community. | Heath became leader of the Conservative party in 1965. In 1970 he defied opinion polls to win a surprise general election victory and become prime minister. His four years in office were dogged by industrial strife, with his biggest achievement being Britain’s entry into the European economic community. |
| After defeat at the polls in 1974 he soon lost the Tory leadership to Margaret thatcher. He never married and his private life was the subject of speculation, some of which was lurid. Heath was a skilled yachtsman and pianist in his spare time. | After defeat at the polls in 1974 he soon lost the Tory leadership to Margaret thatcher. He never married and his private life was the subject of speculation, some of which was lurid. Heath was a skilled yachtsman and pianist in his spare time. |
| The offences that would have merited an interview were allegedly committed against four boys aged between 10 and 15 years, and two men. In one case, police say there was some undermining evidence but that the politician should have been questioned anyway. | The offences that would have merited an interview were allegedly committed against four boys aged between 10 and 15 years, and two men. In one case, police say there was some undermining evidence but that the politician should have been questioned anyway. |
| Inquiries into the claims were led by the Wiltshire police on behalf of 14 forces who received claims from Heath alleging that the former prime minister had carried out acts of sexual abuse. | Inquiries into the claims were led by the Wiltshire police on behalf of 14 forces who received claims from Heath alleging that the former prime minister had carried out acts of sexual abuse. |
| Heath was also alleged by complainants to police to have carried out crimes in 1962 in Kent against a boy aged 10 in a public place following a chance encounter. One offence in 1964 against a boy aged 15 is alleged to have happened while Heath was secretary of state for trade and industry. | Heath was also alleged by complainants to police to have carried out crimes in 1962 in Kent against a boy aged 10 in a public place following a chance encounter. One offence in 1964 against a boy aged 15 is alleged to have happened while Heath was secretary of state for trade and industry. |
| Two offences, in 1976 and 1992, occurred after Heath had served as the seventh post-war prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. | Two offences, in 1976 and 1992, occurred after Heath had served as the seventh post-war prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. |
| The investigation into Heath over claims of child sexual abuse started in August 2015. It was led by the Wiltshire force as his Salisbury home was in the area they cover. The investigation was codenamed Operation Conifer. The allegations it received came from various places in the country and dated back decades. | The investigation into Heath over claims of child sexual abuse started in August 2015. It was led by the Wiltshire force as his Salisbury home was in the area they cover. The investigation was codenamed Operation Conifer. The allegations it received came from various places in the country and dated back decades. |
| Wiltshire police said they received a total of 42 allegations relating to 40 separate individuals. The claims made covered 14 different police force areas in the UK and the Channel Islands and covered a period from 1956 to 1992. All were alleged to have happened when Heath was an MP. They related to physical as well as sexual abuse. | Wiltshire police said they received a total of 42 allegations relating to 40 separate individuals. The claims made covered 14 different police force areas in the UK and the Channel Islands and covered a period from 1956 to 1992. All were alleged to have happened when Heath was an MP. They related to physical as well as sexual abuse. |
| Wiltshire police chief constable Mike Veale described the Heath inquiry as a “watershed” moment. “This watershed moment regarding investigations of people connected to the establishment should not be underestimated.” | |
| In a statement supporters of Heath criticised the police report. Lord Hunt of Wirral, chair of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, and Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, former cabinet secretary and PPS to Heath while he was prime minister, said: “The Wiltshire police report is profoundly unsatisfactory because it neither justifies nor dispels the cloud of suspicion. | In a statement supporters of Heath criticised the police report. Lord Hunt of Wirral, chair of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, and Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, former cabinet secretary and PPS to Heath while he was prime minister, said: “The Wiltshire police report is profoundly unsatisfactory because it neither justifies nor dispels the cloud of suspicion. |
| “It contains a summary of the investigation, but draws no conclusion as to Sir Edward’s guilt although during the investigation the chief constable was heard to express, as he certainly should not have done, his personal view that Sir Edward Heath was probably guilty. | “It contains a summary of the investigation, but draws no conclusion as to Sir Edward’s guilt although during the investigation the chief constable was heard to express, as he certainly should not have done, his personal view that Sir Edward Heath was probably guilty. |
| “As Sir Edward is dead, justice requires that there should be a quasi-judicial process as a substitute for the judicial process. This could be in the form of an independent review by a retired judge, with unrestricted access to all the evidence collected by the Wiltshire police. In the meantime, a fundamental, time-honoured principle should be respected, namely that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty.” | “As Sir Edward is dead, justice requires that there should be a quasi-judicial process as a substitute for the judicial process. This could be in the form of an independent review by a retired judge, with unrestricted access to all the evidence collected by the Wiltshire police. In the meantime, a fundamental, time-honoured principle should be respected, namely that a man is innocent until he is proven guilty.” |
| The investigation has received intense and sustained criticism. In December 2016 Veale, was stung into a vehement denunciation of the criticism. | |
| Veale denied the investigation into Heath was a “fishing expedition” or “witch hunt” and vowed not to bow to “unacceptable” media pressure. | Veale denied the investigation into Heath was a “fishing expedition” or “witch hunt” and vowed not to bow to “unacceptable” media pressure. |
| The report made public Thursday is not the full version. That will go to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse set up by the government. | The report made public Thursday is not the full version. That will go to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse set up by the government. |
| Veale believed the fact Heath had risen to the top of the British establishment meant police were under a duty to investigate, to try and prove or disprove the allegations. | Veale believed the fact Heath had risen to the top of the British establishment meant police were under a duty to investigate, to try and prove or disprove the allegations. |