Fury at police over Ted Heath child sex claims
THE godson of Sir Edward Heath last night called for an inquiry into police handling of child sex abuse claims against the former prime minister.
He branded it “innuendo” against a man who is no longer alive to defend himself.
Artist Lincoln Seligman, who knew Sir Edward for more than 50 years from childhood, spoke following reports that Wiltshire Police said it believed there would be grounds to question him under caution if he were alive today.
The findings of the £1.5million two-year Operation Conifer will not be made public until Thursday. But leaks reveal claims Sir Edward sexually assaulted boys as young as 11.
Mr Seligman said: “My suspicion is that we will learn nothing from the report except innuendo and that really takes nobody any further forward, except it leaves a dark stain over a man who can’t defend himself.”
He called for a judge-led review into the conduct of Operation Conifer and an examination of the evidence produced. “I’m not naive about these things. I think it would have been so difficult for him to hide anything because he was constantly surrounded by protection officers, secretaries, his general household, that he just wouldn’t have had the opportunity,” said Mr Seligman.
“But me protesting his innocence is not as important as putting right the injustice that has been done.”
Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale was “acting as judge and jury and has already convicted the man”, he added.
Prominent
Some of the most serious allegations are linked to his interest in sailing and music. Some were said to have occurred in Wiltshire where Sir Edward lived.
Two separate allegations are said to have been made by individuals in “prominent” positions today. It is thought they were reporting the alleged abuse of others.
The investigation looked at allegations of 42 sexual assaults and one rape of an under-age male said to have taken place from the 1950s to the 1990s. The findings will be passed to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
The report will not reach a conclusion about whether Sir Edward was guilty. It will, though, acknowledge the difficulty in establishing the truth after decades.
The force believes the accounts are credible, although last year criminologist Dr Rachel Hoskins, who was enlisted to examine the evidence, said she had “exposed a catalogue of fabrication”.
Mr Veale later said: “I will remain operationally independent and will not be influenced by inappropriate and unacceptable pressure from people who don’t know the detail of this case.”
Yesterday James Gray, Tory MP for North Wiltshire, called for a separate inquiry into Mr Veale’s reasons for showing a draft of the report to fellow Tory MP Andrew Bridgen.
Sir Edward, who led the Conservative government from 1970 to 1974, died at his home in Salisbury in 2005. He was 89.