Police ‘found no evidence ofWestminster sex ring’

FORMER Conservative MP Harvey Proctor has been assured a police investigation found no evidence that he and late ex-prime minister Sir Edward Heath were involved in a Westminster child sexual abuse (CSA) ring.

Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Mike Veale told him neither he nor his colleagues have ever made such allegations and had not wished to create that impression.

The force’s probe, Operation Conifer, concluded that seven claims against Sir Edward, who was Conservative prime minister between 1970-74, would have been sufficiently credible to justify questioning him, under caution, if he were still alive today.

In correspondence seen by the Press Association, Mr Veale confirmed Mr Proctor had not been investigated by his officers.

The ex-MP welcomed the assurances and said: “I am very pleased I have obtained clarification and transparency from Mr Veale and Wiltshire Police.

“Contrary to the witch-hunting instincts and fantasy-inducing aberrations of certain current MPs, Conservative and Labour, certain journalists and internet fantasists, when police force after police force investigate these matters they find no evidence of a Westminster child sexual abuse ring.

“The reason being ... there wasn’t one.”

Mr Proctor was told in a letter from Mr Veale: “During the course of the investigation we received information from 14 forces in relation to alleged abuse committed by Sir Edward Heath and within those disclosures there were also allegations against a number of other persons of public prominence.

“Three forces supplied Operation Conifer with disclosures from victims that included allegations made against you.”

One of the forces was the Metropolitan Police, whose £2.5m Operation Midland inquiry into claims made by a single accuser, known only as “Nick”, of a high-level paedophile ring linked to Westminster, closed without a single arrest.

Mr Proctor was cleared and received an apology in 2016 from then Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

Mr Veale told Mr Proctor that Essex Police also shared information with operations Midland and Conifer “relating to a victim who had made allegations against ... persons including Sir Edward Heath and yourself”.

Mr Proctor said: “I was not informed about this by the Metropolitan Police or Essex Police, nor was I questioned [by these forces] about this allegation.”

Greater Manchester Police also shared information with Wiltshire Police, in which Mr Proctor was the subject of an allegation, according to Mr Veale.

Mr Proctor said: “Greater Manchester Police (GMP) closed their investigation of me (and apparently Sir Edward) without interviewing me and without... informing me of its demise.

“This allegation involved Rochdale, a place I have no recollection of ever visiting.”

He wrote to Wiltshire Police last month seeking a string of clarifications.