Police tsar admits Heath inquiry ‘flaws’

‘The real problem is that young people’s wages are no better than they were 10 years ago ... and living standards are far below 20 years ago’

THE outcome of Wiltshire police’s investigation into Sir Edward Heath is “unsatisfactory”, the force’s own crime commissioner has admitted.

Angus Macpherson, Wiltshire Police’s Police and Crime Commissioner, has also acknowledged that the £1.5million inquiry into the former prime minister must now be subjected to an independent judicial review.

In a letter to Heath’s supporters, Mr Macpherson said that he shared their “concern” that the two-year investigation had sullied Heath’s reputation even though police could not establish the guilt of a dead man unable to defend himself.

Mr Macpherson’s admission will add to growing clamour for an independent judge-led inquiry into Operation Conifer while fuelling demands by critics of Mike Veale, the Chief Constable, that he resign.

In his letter to Lord Hunt, chairman of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, Mr Macpherson wrote: “I share your concern. The present situation is unsatisfactory.

“I have long held that there needs to be an independent review by a judge with unrestricted access to the full report and to the evidence taken during the course of the investigation.”

Mr Macpherson goes on to say that the police inquiry correctly followed current national guidance – which treats all complainants as victims and insist they must be believed.

He added: “That guidance is, in my view, flawed... If that guidance remains unaltered, there is every possibility that the same thing will happen again in the future to another deceased public figure.”

Last night, a spokesman for Wiltshire Police said that the force was “in the process of complying” with a request from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse for a copy of reports relating to Operation Conifer.