‘Grossly unjust’– fury over police chief ’s Heath abuse claim
THE farce over the Edward Heath investigation deepened yesterday as the police chief said to be ‘120 per cent’ sure the former Conservative prime minister was a paedophile was accused of acting as judge and jury.
Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale was reported to have said he believed claims of sexual abuse against the late politician were true.
The comments were reported in the middle of an 18 month long £900,000 investigation.
Now Sir Edward’s godson has called on Mr Veale to publish the facts to prove his ‘grossly unjust’ remarks.
And local MP James Gray – who has called for a leak inquiry – demanded Mr Veale resign if he is found to have deliberately briefed the media in a bid to justify the controversial probe.
The row comes a day after the Daily Mail revealed that police are investigating claims that Sir Edward was linked to a paedophile ring accused of 16 child murders.
The allegations were made by a family who allege the politician was part of a satanic sex cult run by their own parents, who they say burnt babies and killed as many as 16 children.
At the weekend Mr Veale was reported to have said he believed that child abuse allegations made by 30 alleged victims against the late politician are ‘totally convincing’ and he is ‘120 per cent’ certain they are genuine.
Hours after the story was published, Mr Veale condemned ‘unhelpful and inappropriate speculation about this case’ and stated that ‘it is not the role of the police to judge the guilt or innocence of people in our criminal justice system’. But he did not deny making the remarks which are said to have been uttered in a private conversation about the force’s beleaguered investigation known as Operation Conifer.
Yesterday Lincoln Seligman, the godson of Sir Edward who died in 2005, said the comments were ‘grossly unjust’.
He said: ‘Veale seems to be saying to the public, “It’s for me to know and you to find out”. Whatever the truth turns out to be these sporadic declarations of his own beliefs are not the way to deliver it. He says the police should not act as judge and jury. But that’s what he is doing by voicing his personal certainty of Edward Heath’s guilt. This is grossly unjust.’
North Wiltshire Tory MP Mr Gray demanded an inquiry into the source of the remarks.
He said: ‘I have no evidence the chief constable has released this information, but if it has come from the police service it is a disgrace to release information during the course of an investigation with a view to besmirching his name. If the chief constable has intervened I would ask the Home Secretary to dismiss him.’
Joe Haines, who was press secretary to Labour leader Harold Wilson from 1969 to 1976, said he had never heard anything with the slightest substance to suggest Sir Edward was a sexual deviant.
Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson defended Mr Veale. He said: ‘The Chief Constable has not intervened.’
A spokesman for the force refused to say whether it was investigating a potential leak.
‘It’s for me to know’