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| Edward Heath: four police forces now investigating late former PM | Edward Heath: four police forces now investigating late former PM |
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| The scale of the police inquiries into Sir Edward Heath became apparent on Tuesday as two more forces revealed they were investigating the late former prime minister over child abuse claims. | The scale of the police inquiries into Sir Edward Heath became apparent on Tuesday as two more forces revealed they were investigating the late former prime minister over child abuse claims. |
| Jersey police said Heath features as part of Operation Whistle, an inquiry into child abuse on the island, while Kent police are investigating a sexual assault claim against the former Tory leader after receiving a report on Tuesday. | Jersey police said Heath features as part of Operation Whistle, an inquiry into child abuse on the island, while Kent police are investigating a sexual assault claim against the former Tory leader after receiving a report on Tuesday. |
| Four police forces are now investigating allegations against Heath after Wiltshire police issued an appeal on Monday for anyone claiming to have been a victim of abuse by Heath to come forward. | |
| Scotland Yard has also reportedly been investigating claims against Heath for several months as part of Operation Midland, which was set up to examine allegations of murder by a Westminster paedophile ring that systematically abused children. | |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission is 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 Independent Police Complaints Commission is 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. |
| Wiltshire police said they had received a number of calls after issuing the appeal. Speaking outside Heath’s former home, Supt Sean Memory said a 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. | Wiltshire police said they had received a number of calls after issuing the appeal. Speaking outside Heath’s former home, Supt Sean Memory said a 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 former officer making the allegations of a coverup was a constable at the time, and rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of inspector or above. The IPCC said it would investigate the coverup claims and what Wiltshire police did to investigate the allegations about Heath. | |
| After Monday’s revelations, 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 alleged victim claims he was picked up by the politician in a car on the A2 in Kent. | After Monday’s revelations, 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 alleged victim claims he was picked up by the politician in a car on the A2 in Kent. |
| A statement from Kent police said: “Kent police has today received a report of a sexual assault having been committed in east Kent in the 1960s. The victim has named Sir Edward Heath in connection with the allegation. | A statement from Kent police said: “Kent police has today received a report of a sexual assault having been committed in east Kent in the 1960s. The victim has named Sir Edward Heath in connection with the allegation. |
| “Detectives are making initial inquiries and will obtain a full account from the victim.” | “Detectives are making initial inquiries and will obtain a full account from the victim.” |
| It emerged on Monday that officers from the Metropolitan police spoke to a man who came forward more than two years ago and claimed that as a teenager he was a victim of abuse by Heath. | It emerged on Monday that officers from the Metropolitan police spoke to a man who came forward more than two years ago and claimed that as a teenager he was a victim of abuse by Heath. |
| 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. |
| It is understood the claims are being investigated under Operation Midland, which falls under a wider umbrella of investigations – known as Operation Fairbank – into allegations of abuse involving senior politicians and high-profile figures. | It is understood the claims are being investigated under Operation Midland, which falls under a wider umbrella of investigations – known as Operation Fairbank – into allegations of abuse involving senior politicians and high-profile figures. |
| Scotland Yard said it “does not provide a running commentary on Operation Midland”. | Scotland Yard said it “does not provide a running commentary on Operation Midland”. |
| A statement from the the States of Jersey police said Heath features as part of Operation Whistle, which was set up after the Jimmy Savile scandal and the Jersey care inquiry, which is looking into allegations of widespread abuse in the island’s care homes including the Haut de la Garenne children’s home. | |
| “Sir Edward Heath does feature as part of Operation Whistle, currently investigating historical allegations of abuse in Jersey,” a statement from the States of Jersey police said. | “Sir Edward Heath does feature as part of Operation Whistle, currently investigating historical allegations of abuse in Jersey,” a statement from the States of Jersey police said. |
| 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 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. |
| Related: Ted Heath allegations: another public figure, yet more public unease | Related: Ted Heath allegations: another public figure, yet more public unease |
| 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 that 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 that 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. “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. | 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. |