FORMER Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath has been implicated in the historic sexual abuse of children.
The claim came as Wiltshire Police reported themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over allegations they had covered up accusations of Heath’s paedophilia during a trial in the 1990s.
The force confirmed Heath had been “named in relation to offences concerning children”.
Speaking outside the politician's former home in Salisbury, Superintendent Sean Memory from Wiltshire Police said: “The allegation is that a trial was due to take place in the 1990s and information was received in that trial that Sir Ted Heath was involved in the abuse of children and the allegation is from the result of that information that the trial never took place.
“A retired senior police officer has come forward towards the end of 2014 indicating that they were aware of this information.
“So between then and March this year we have worked tirelessly to establish the facts of that allegation to a point where in March this year we have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, who are leading the investigation into whether we did in fact mishandle that case in the 1990s.
“This is an appeal for victims, in particular if you have been the victim of any crime from Sir Ted Heath or any historical sexual offence, or you are a witness or you have any information about this, then please come forward.
“We are working closely with the NSPCC. I have a number of staff trained to deal with sexual offences waiting for any calls that come forward.
“Any calls that we do receive will be treated with the utmost confidence.”
It is understood that the IPCC is investigating if a prosecution against an individual was dropped when that person threatened to expose Sir Edward. The identity of that person is unknown. It is also examining whether Wiltshire Police then investigated those allegations against Heath.
It was reported his name had also been passed to the Metropolitan Police, which is carrying out Operation Midland, a probe into claims of a VIP paedophile ring operating around Westminster.
Labour MP Tom Watson said he had been aware of the allegations against the former PM. “I received information in 2012 concerning allegations of child abuse carried out by Edward Heath and a separate claim concerning Heath was made to me subsequently," he said.
“I passed them both to the police, who have confirmed to me that at least one of those allegations is being investigated and taken seriously.” The IPCC said it was to investigate “allegations concerning Wiltshire Police’s handling of an alleged claim of child sexual abuse made in the 1990s.”
A spokesman said: “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.
“In addition to this allegation, the IPCC will examine whether Wiltshire Police subsequently took any steps to investigate these claims.”
Heath, who led the Conservative government between 1970 and 1974, never married and was famously reticent about his private life. There was often innuendo and rumour around his sexual proclivities. One biographer concluded that he may have been a latent or repressed homosexual while another claimed he was “pretty well sexless”.
Heath died at home in Salisbury aged 89 in July 2005.
A statement issued by the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation said: “We welcome the investigation by Wiltshire Police, which we wholeheartedly believe will clear Sir Edward’s name, and we will cooperate fully with the police in their inquiries.”
Wilf Weeks, the acting chairman of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, told ITV he was “gobsmacked” by news of the investigation.
“We wholeheartedly hope, or believe, that this will clear Sir Edward’s name,” he said.
NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said: “It’s important that people who believe they have been victims of abuse have the confidence to speak out knowing their voices will be listened to.”
The NSPCC helpline for the Edward Heath inquiry is 0808 800 5000.
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