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SEVEN POLICE DEPARTMENTS in England have now launched investigations into child sexual abuse allegedly involving former Prime Minister Edward Heath.
There appears to have been a flood of allegations this week, since the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) on Monday announced they were investigating claims related to the former Conservative leader, who died in 2005.
Here’s who’s investigating him, and what we know so far:
IPCC
As you might have guessed from its name, the IPCC doesn’t conduct criminal investigations itself, but rather keeps tabs on police forces in the UK.
On Monday, the body said they were examining complaints about how police in Wiltshire, in south-west England, handled a separate child sex abuse investigation in the 1990s.
It is alleged that a criminal prosecution was not pursued, when a person threatened to expose that Sir Edward Heath may have been involved in offences concerning children.
The probe was launched after a tip-off from a retired senior police officer.
It had been claimed that Myra Forde, convicted in 1995 of running an underage prostitution ring in Heath’s home town of Salisbury, threatened to expose him as a client during an earlier investigation in 1990.
However, Forde broke her long silence yesterday, when her former solicitor told the Salisbury Journal:
My former client wishes me to make it very clear that at no stage did she state that Ted Heath was a client and at no stage did she threaten to expose him as a client of hers if the prosecution was continued.
Wiltshire
Also on Monday, police in Heath’s home county put out an extraordinary appeal for victims or anyone with information to come forward:
[Heath] lived in Salisbury for many years and we would like to hear from anyone who has any relevant information that may assist us in our enquiries or anyone who believes they may have been a victim.
Some people may never have spoken out about the abuse they have suffered but we would urge them to please contact us and to not suffer in silence.
The appeal appears to have worked, with Wiltshire police issuing further statements later on this week, saying they have received, and continue to receive, “a number of calls” about the former PM.
Jersey
Yesterday, police on the island of Jersey revealed that the former Prime Minister “does feature as part of Operation Whistle” – an inquiry into historical child sex abuse.
According to police, that probe was started late last year after they were inundated with historical claims surrounding care homes on the island, where shocking child abuse is thought to have occurred on a systematic basis, for decades.
The wide-ranging investigation involves 45 suspects, 13 of whom are “people of public prominence.”
Scotland Yard
On Tuesday, the investigative website Exaro News reported the Metropolitan Police has for nearly a year been investigating Edward Heath, as part of Operation Midland.
That inquiry is centred on claims of historical rape and sexual abuse at the exclusive Dolphin Square apartments in the Pimlico section of London.
Part of that investigation involves claims that members of a “VIP” paedophile ring – including a then Conservative MP – murdered three boys.
The chief witness, now in his 40s, did not say Heath played any part in the killings, but claims he did rape him repeatedly, in several different locations.
Although BBC News corroborated the claim that the former PM was involved in Operation Midland, the Met Police issued a statement insisting it would:
…maintain its stance of neither confirming nor denying names of any individual who may or may not be part of this investigation.
Kent
Police in Kent, southeast of London, said they had received a report on Tuesday of a sexual assault 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.
Other police departments
Today, Thames Valley police announced that news reports earlier in the week had elicited a further child abuse allegation against Heath.
Following recent media coverage in relation to historic allegations made against former Prime Minister Edward Heath, Thames Valley Police has since received information which we are investigating further.
This afternoon, Gloucestershire police confirmed they too had received a complaint:
We can confirm we have received an allegation against Sir Edward Heath.
The Constabulary has referred the allegation to Operation Hydrant (overseeing police inquiries into historical child sexual abuse) officers and we will be liaising closely with them to decide the appropriate investigating authority.
Also today, Hampshire police announced, without offering further details, that they were “investigating allegations” against Heath, who served as Prime Minister from 1970-1974, and was an MP for more than half a century, from 1950 to 2001.
This morning, North Yorkshire police specified that they were not investigating a specific allegation against Heath, but that they were:
Undertaking a comprehensive search of force systems to assess if there is any information or intelligence held in relation to Mr Heath.
Contains reporting by AFP.
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he was in office during jimmy Savile’s prime and from what we’re seeing what’s going on in Westminster this is just the tip of the iceberg, its all being interconnected, apparently Jimmy Savile’s nephew claims Sir Edward Heath abused his 14-year-old pal at London party.
If I had billions and control of the media, supporting paedophiles to get them elected or appointed judges etc would be a great way of influencing national policy in my favor…get a country into Europe etc…
Kincora is the big story,Heath is just one of the first sacrifical lambs that will be offered up,smoke and mirrors as the truth about Kincora slowly leaks out in an effort to prepare the peasants,forelock tuggers for some unwelcome news concerning their English ruling class
Bit late now..although could damage the current Tory government
Its a shame the provos did not get him. Might have saved a few kids dirty nonce.
Give it time and all will come out here as well judges top cops td newspapers covering it up
Any evidence, or just pure rhetoric?
Paedophilia against kids is the worst crime imaginable as it can do reprehensible damage to their minds and can also, in a lot of cases, change their brain patterns resulting in them acquiring psychopathic traits…..Paedophiles are also well suited to power positions as most are pyschopaths who lack empathy and compassion….unfortunately this is the very tip of the iceberg as it is believed to be rife in the upper echelons of most societies.
Why wait till Ted Health died before making a claim? While I believe abuse is wrong I found this claim a ridiculous & it seems the motive was for money!
Because society has changed and their claims will be believed now. Nobody would’ve believed them while he was alive. He was the most powerful man in the country. If they had of spoke up back then, chances are they would have been locked away in some asylum for the rest of their lives.
Don’t believe it.
These people were and are aided and abetted by cap doffing sycophants, believe it!
He was surrounded by armed police from the moment he became PM till the day he died. Slightly difficult to do what he is accused of with that level of attention.
I have serious question, is raping young children the act of a criminal or is it don’t want to say sickness but that kind of thing, maybe its both or neither, genuine question
It’s the act of a criminal. Whatever their urges, they choose to break the law and they choose to hurt a child and they choose to ruin that child’s entire life. I have an urge to be rich, doesn’t mean I choose to rob a bank.
Well put doctor.
Pedophilia is a sexual preference the same as any other sexual preference except that it is illegal because society has deemed it harmful to children. In different stages in history and in different cultures the view could have varied quite a lot. Pedophilia is technically the preference for pre-pubescent child whereas hebephillia is a preference for children who have started puberty. Both of these are clinical terms and are diagnosed by trained clinical doctors. Contrary to popular belief you can not actually get charged with or convicted of being a pedophile or hebephile as it is a medical term. You can however be charged for any acts that may be contrary to the law of the jurisdiction that you are in.
Remember the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare of the 1990s? This “Dead Prominent Public Figure Abuse” craze seems very similar. In the first case, all allegation were later found to be false. Let’s see what happens with this one lot.
Well the reported has already jumped to conclusions before any investigation has been concluded.
“Scandal of the Century ”
Perhaps he can give his evidence to support his tag line.
have your say