Watchdog rejects claim that brothel keeper’s case was dropped over threats to expose Heath
CLAIMS that police dropped a prosecution against a brothel owner after she threatened to expose Sir Edward Heath as a paedophile have been dismissed by the police watchdog.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched an inquiry last year after a retired detective claimed colleagues in Wiltshire Police had quietly dropped a case against Myra Ling Ling Forde in Salisbury to protect the reputation of the late former prime minister.
Ms Forde was accused of prostitution offences in 1994, but the charges were dropped on the day her trial was due to begin. The senior detective claimed that decision was taken after Ms Forde threatened to tell the press she had supplied Sir Edward with underage male prostitutes.
However, in a statement the watchdog said: “The investigation found no evidence to support the suggestion that the alleged comment had any bearing on the outcome of the trial against Ms Forde. The investigation concluded that the trial against Ms Forde was stopped by the prosecution because their witnesses would not attend court or refused to give evidence.”
After being named as the woman in the case last year, Ms Forde issued a statement denying that she had ever threatened to drag Sir Edward’s name through the mud and saying she had no knowledge of alleged wrongdoing.
Wiltshire Police are continuing to lead an inquiry involving seven forces into historical allegations of abuse against Sir Edward, who died in 2005, aged 89. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, led by Justice Lowell Goddard, will also consider the allegations.