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| Edward Heath: Met has been investigating claims for several months | |
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| Scotland Yard has been investigating claims made against the late former prime minister Sir Edward Heath for several months as part of its inquiry into historical child sex abuse by establishment figures, it has been reported. | |
| The BBC said allegations against Heath are being examined by detectives working on Operation Midland, which was set up to examine claims of murder by a Westminster paedophile ring that systematically abused children. | The BBC said allegations against Heath are being examined by detectives working on Operation Midland, which was set up to examine claims of murder by a Westminster paedophile ring that systematically abused children. |
| Operation Midland falls under a wider umbrella of investigations, known as Operation Fairbank, into allegations of abuse involving senior politicians and high-profile figures. | Operation Midland falls under a wider umbrella of investigations, known as Operation Fairbank, into allegations of abuse involving senior politicians and high-profile figures. |
| The reports come after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it was investigating claims made by a retired senior officer that Wiltshire police dropped a prosecution in the 1990s after a suspect threatened to name Heath in connection with allegations of child abuse. | The reports come after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it was investigating claims made by a retired senior officer that Wiltshire police dropped a prosecution in the 1990s after a suspect threatened to name Heath in connection with allegations of child abuse. |
| The suspect was reported to be a woman in charge of a brothel, whose prosecution was said to have been abandoned after she threatened to expose Heath. | The suspect was reported to be a woman in charge of a brothel, whose prosecution was said to have been abandoned after she threatened to expose Heath. |
| The Mirror reported a claim by an unnamed man that he was raped at age 12 by Heath, who died aged 89 in 2005. | The Mirror reported a claim by an unnamed man that he was raped at age 12 by Heath, who died aged 89 in 2005. |
| It emerged on Monday that officers from the Metropolitan police spoke to a man who came forward more than two years ago and claimed he was a victim of Heath’s abuse as a teenager. | It emerged on Monday that officers from the Metropolitan police spoke to a man who came forward more than two years ago and claimed he was a victim of Heath’s abuse as a teenager. |
| Related: Ted Heath allegations: another public figure, yet more public unease | Related: Ted Heath allegations: another public figure, yet more public unease |
| The inquiries by the Met were not announced publicly, but Labour MP Tom Watson said: “I received information in 2012 concerning allegations of child abuse carried out by Edward Heath,” adding that the claims were passed to police and were “being investigated and taken seriously”. | The inquiries by the Met were not announced publicly, but Labour MP Tom Watson said: “I received information in 2012 concerning allegations of child abuse carried out by Edward Heath,” adding that the claims were passed to police and were “being investigated and taken seriously”. |
| Detectives in Wiltshire, where the former prime minister had a home close to Salisbury cathedral, are now leading inquiries about whether he was involved in child sexual abuse. | Detectives in Wiltshire, where the former prime minister had a home close to Salisbury cathedral, are now leading inquiries about whether he was involved in child sexual abuse. |
| The force made an appeal on Monday for “anyone who believes they may have been a victim” of the former Conservative leader to come forward. | The force made an appeal on Monday for “anyone who believes they may have been a victim” of the former Conservative leader to come forward. |
| The allegations emerged after a former senior Wiltshire officer came forward with claims that a prosecution had been dropped because of the risk of exposing Heath. | The allegations emerged after a former senior Wiltshire officer came forward with claims that a prosecution had been dropped because of the risk of exposing Heath. |
| Speaking outside Heath’s former home, Supt Sean Memory said the retired senior police officer came forward at the end of last year with claims that a prosecution was halted when a person threatened to expose Heath as a paedophile. | Speaking outside Heath’s former home, Supt Sean Memory said the retired senior police officer came forward at the end of last year with claims that a prosecution was halted when a person threatened to expose Heath as a paedophile. |
| The IPCC said it would investigate the coverup claims and what Wiltshire police did to investigate the allegations about Heath. | The IPCC said it would investigate the coverup claims and what Wiltshire police did to investigate the allegations about Heath. |
| The former officer making the allegations of coverup was a constable at the time, and rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of inspector or above. | The former officer making the allegations of coverup was a constable at the time, and rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of inspector or above. |
| The allegations against Heath, who was unmarried and subject to lurid speculation about his private life, come amid a flurry of claims of establishment figures sexually abusing children, with their crimes being covered up. | The allegations against Heath, who was unmarried and subject to lurid speculation about his private life, come amid a flurry of claims of establishment figures sexually abusing children, with their crimes being covered up. |
| The government has set up the Goddard inquiry to investigate the scale of child sexual abuse and of establishment coverup. | The government has set up the Goddard inquiry to investigate the scale of child sexual abuse and of establishment coverup. |
| Brian Binley, who was MP for Northampton South from 2005 to 2015 and worked in Heath’s office earlier in his career, said he would be “very, very surprised” if there was substance to the allegations, adding he believed Heath was a “good guy”. | Brian Binley, who was MP for Northampton South from 2005 to 2015 and worked in Heath’s office earlier in his career, said he would be “very, very surprised” if there was substance to the allegations, adding he believed Heath was a “good guy”. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Binley questioned why the retired Wiltshire police officer had not come forward sooner. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Binley questioned why the retired Wiltshire police officer had not come forward sooner. |
| “We must remember that Ted Heath was never even questioned about these allegations and it might be that the police at the time felt that the allegations were so unreliable as to dismiss them – as they do, of course, with many allegations made,” he said. | “We must remember that Ted Heath was never even questioned about these allegations and it might be that the police at the time felt that the allegations were so unreliable as to dismiss them – as they do, of course, with many allegations made,” he said. |