Expert in Ted Heath abuse case ‘paid to help police’

THE farce over the Sir Edward Heath child abuse inquiry grew yesterday as it emerged one of an independent panel scrutinising the probe has been paid to help on the case.

Dr Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist who specialises in abuse and trauma, received £2,025 for advising Wiltshire Police about two individuals who made allegations against the late Tory prime minister.

The force subsequently asked her to join a panel of four looking at all aspects of the Operation Conifer probe to help chiefs ‘consider the ongoing proportionality and justification for the investigation’.

Critics questioned whether the panel, which has been used by Chief Constable Mike Veale to justify continuing with the probe, can be called independ- ent when one of its members is being paid to work for the same inquiry. Sir Edward’s godson, Lincoln Seligman, said: ‘If you’re paid to work within the inquiry, you can’t really have an independent view of the workings of the inquiry.’

But yesterday Dr Hanson said: ‘There has categorically been no conflict of interest in the roles I have been approached to undertake.’

Wiltshire Police said: ‘Her two roles are quite distinct.’

The row comes a week after the force announced the only two people arrested during Operation Conifer have been released with no further action. It means no one is likely to face any charges in the investigation dubbed a witch-hunt by critics.

The Mail understands the two people arrested had never met or worked with Sir Edward.

‘Two roles are quite distinct’