Heath child abuse inquiry shut down
Chief constable could face calls to quit amid allegations investigation failed to find any evidence
THE £1million investigation into allegations Sir Edward Heath was a paedophile is being shut down after claims it has found no concrete evidence to justify the shredding of his reputation.
The Sunday Telegraph understands private investigators examining claims against the former prime minister are not having their contracts renewed.
THE £1 million police investigation into allegations that Sir Edward Heath was a paedophile is being wound up amid claims it has found no evidence to justify tarnishing the former prime minister’s reputation. Private investigators hired by police to help conduct the inquiry have been told contracts are not being renewed, according to sources.
The inquiry, codenamed Operation Conifer, will be closed in the coming weeks but the report on its findings will remain confidential.
Friends of Sir Edward insisted that the Wiltshire police inquiry had found no evidence to implicate the Conservative politician.
They said the nature of questions put to former members of staff and sailing colleagues were so lacking in detail that it suggested an absence of hard evidence.
The investigation began in August 2015 when Supt Sean Memory, standing outside Sir Edward’s home in Salisbury, launched an appeal for victims to come forward. He is now on long-term sick leave.
A well-placed source said investigators, mostly retired detectives, hired a year ago on 12-month contracts had been told they were not being renewed.
“The inquiry is coming to an end. The contracts are up and have not been renewed even though there was an option to do that,” said the source. Chief Constable Mike Veale will come under pressure to resign if his force fails to justify the investigation. Reports claimed he believed “120 per cent” the former prime minister was guilty.
Lord Armstrong, the former Cabinet Secretary and Sir Edward’s principal private secretary from 1970 to 1974, said: “I simply don’t understand how the Chief Constable got himself into such a position. Some of the lines of inquiry they are pursuing are absolutely ludicrous.
“They have interviewed former staff at No10 and asked them if they were ever aware of young men slipping in and out of 10 Downing Street. It’s absurd. You couldn’t slip in or out. There was a door with a policeman on it.”
Anthony Churchill, who crewed with the Tory leader on his racing yacht Morning Cloud, said: “If the police chief thinks it is 120 per cent likely that Edward Heath was a paedophile, then the crew of Morning Cloud would say it is 140 per cent certain he was not.”
A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said of the final report: “Our approach to public confidence is to be as open and transparent as possible, and at the conclusion of the police investigation, the force will take advice as to what we can legally put in to the public domain.”
Mr Veale denied having stated a view on Sir Edward’s guilt. He said: “Our role is to objectively and proportionately go where the evidence takes us. Further, those who choose to continue to comment on this case whilst not in possession of the facts ultimately may serve to unfairly damage both the reputation of Sir Edward Heath and/or those who have disclosed abuse.”