FORMER Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath was yesterday linked to four separate investigations into child sex abuse.

Following the announcement by Wiltshire police that the force had reported themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over accusations they had covered up allegations concerning the late politician, detectives in Kent, Jersey and London admitted they too were looking at Heath as part of their investigations into historic sex abuse.

Scotland Yard confirmed Heath is being considered as part of Operation Midland, the Met’s inquiry into claims a VIP paedophile ring operated from Dolphin Square in Westminster in the 1970s and 1980s. That investigation is also specifically looking into allegations three boys were abused and murdered. Heath has not been linked to those murders.

The Met did not confirm the claims.

A spokesman said: “We are not giving a running commentary on Operation Midland.”

It is understood the Met have been investigating claims around Heath for the last year.

One man claiming to have been abused by Heath told the Exaro news agency: “It is a relief to see finally Edward Heath’s name mentioned publicly.

"As a core member of the group of men that hurt me and others, it’s important that his name is now out there, and I hope that it will encourage others to come forward. He added: “Yes, Heath might be dead, but others are not. Any information that people have will help fit the jigsaw pieces together”.

The States of Jersey Police (SoJP) confirmed that they too were investigating the former prime minister as part of Operation Whistle, an inquiry into alleged historical abuse on the island. Operation Whistle was launched by police in Jersey in June as part of Operation Hydrant, a UK-wide coordination of sex abuse investigations.

Later yesterday afternoon, Kent Police said someone claiming to be abused by the former PM in the 1960s had come forward to them.

In yesterday’s Daily Record, a man claiming to have been raped at the age of 12 by the former PM said he contacted police in 1961 but was labelled “a liar and a fantasist”.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: “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.”

More details of the Wiltshire Police investigation emerged throughout the day. Officers there said they and the NSPCC had received many responses to joint appeals. The force said in a statement: “The investigation team will be reviewing the information and following up any lines of inquiry as a result.”

A spokeswoman said they were unable to confirm how many people had made contact. She said the “validity” of the calls was not known at this stage but they had received “intelligence”.

Heath’s name was linked to claims of historic child sex abuse on Monday when the IPCC announced an inquiry into allegations that a prosecution against an individual was shelved after a threat was made to “expose” him.

Yesterday it surfaced that the individual who made the claim was a madam who ran an underage brothel less than a mile from Heath’s house in Salisbury.

Myra Ling-Ling Forde, 67, has been jailed twice for operating as a madam out of her house in the Wiltshire town.

The IPCC are examining claims a prosecution against Forde was dropped after she threatened to expose Heath as a paedophile.

A retired senior detective from the force came forward last year to allege that his colleagues quietly dropped the trial.

Forde was jailed in 1995. During the trial, the court heard how she trained runaway children as call girls, often picking up youngsters who were in the care system.

Winchester Crown Court heard how one 13-year-old girl would go straight from school to the brothel, which was advertised as The Oriental Massage Parlour.

Another 15-year-old told authorities she had lost count of the number of times she had been sold for sex in Forde’s house.

SPEAKING from her home in London, Forde’s sister, Mia Pablico told The Telegraph that she did not know where Forde was now living, but said her sister “knew a lot of politicians”.

Former colleagues of Heath gave a less-than-spirited defence of their old boss.

Former Conservative MP Brian Binley, who worked in Heath’s office for a period of time, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday: “I find it very difficult to believe from the Ted Heath that I knew.

“There are many unanswered questions here and I don’t think it would be right and fair to jump to conclusions about a man who served his country with dignity and with care, who was a considerable intellect, loved his music.

Binley added: “We must be very careful. It’s easy to smear people not around.”

Heath, who led the Conservative Government between 1970 and 1974, never married and was famously reticent about his private life.

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