UK-based solicitor Alan Collins, who has represented dozens of clients in some of Britain’s highest-profile child abuse investigations, including cases involving Jimmy Savile and Haut de la Garenne, described it as ‘troubling’ that officers merely named Sir Edward as ‘a feature’ of their investigation and have not given any more details.
The States police, as well as four other forces across Britain, revealed this week that the former Conservative politician, who died in 2005, was under investigation for child abuse.
The States police named Sir Edward as ‘a feature’ of their child abuse investigation – codenamed Operation Whistle – but declined to comment further.
Today Mr Collins, who said he has never heard any concrete allegations against Sir Edward but had heard rumours and speculation around the time of Operation Rectangle, the States police’s investigation into child abuse launched in 2008, said that the force should release more information.
‘All I have heard have been innuendos and finger-pointing, but never anything concrete,’ he said.’
‘No one ever said “I know what has happened and this is it”.
‘I always thought it was possible to get behind all that, but it was difficult.
‘I think it is troubling that the police have just said that Sir Edward was being investigated and have not provided any context.
‘You can read all sorts of things into that.
‘It could be that they are tying up loose ends, or it could be that someone has made a specific allegation.
‘If they are more specific, it might help people to come forward.’
The lawyer urged anyone who may have any information to come forward and tell the police.
Lenny Harper, who was deputy police chief during the start of Operation Rectangle, confirmed that he had never received any allegations or statements about Sir Edward during his time with the force.
American journalist Leah McGrath Goodman, who claims to have uncovered abuse allegations against Sir Edward in 2011, told a US news network this week that Jersey police ‘received reports’ of abuse concerning the Tory politician.
And former Health Minister and child abuse campaigner Stuart Syvret said in an online
post published on Tuesday that he believed
Sir Edward was ‘in the frame’ during the 2008 investigation.
But Mr Harper, who retired from the States police in 2008, said today that during his time with the force he heard of no allegations of abuse against Sir Edward, and confirmed that he has told that to Miss Goodman.
He also added that Mr Syvret, who left the States in 2010, had never mentioned to him that there were allegations or claims of abuse against Sir Edward.
‘We received no allegations or statements,’ Mr Harper said.
‘His name was never mentioned to me by Stuart during all that time.
‘I also told Leah we had no allegations against Heath, as I’ve told countless journos over the past few years.
‘The computer records of our inquiry will prove that.’
Speaking to the JEP in the wake of Mr Harper’s comments, Mr Syvret said: ‘Back in 2008 there were rumours about Heath and nothing more certain than that.
‘I was certainly aware of them I’m not sure if the police were.
‘I was aware of rumours that he had abused children.’
Former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath is just one of many people of ‘public prominence’ currently being investigated by the States police under the banner of Operation Whistle.
Earlier this year the force revealed that 45 people were under investigation for historical child abuse offences, 13 of whom were described as people who are ‘well-known’ public figures, including celebrities, politicians and sports people.
UK Investigation
ALTHOUGH rumours about Sir Edward’s private life have persisted for years, the claims exploded into the national media earlier this week when the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced it was to investigate whether the Wiltshire Police failed to pursue allegations of child abuse made against Sir Edward in the 1990s by a brothel keeper.
It is understood that the 67-year-old woman, who has been twice jailed for running a brothel in Salisbury, where Sir Edward lived after leaving office, had a prosecution against her dropped after threatening to expose the former Prime Minister as a paedophile.
The allegation of a cover-up was made by a former senior police officer from the force, who was a constable at the time of the aborted investigation.
Wiltshire police have now appealed for any further potential victims or witnesses to come forward.
Scotland Yard has reportedly also been investigating Sir Edward as part of Operation Midland, which was launched to examine child abuse by an alleged Westminster paedophile ring.
In total five forces – the States police, the Met, Wiltshire, Kent and Hampshire – are now investigating abuse claims against the former prime minister.
In a statement, Kent police said: ‘Kent police has today received a report of a sexual assault having been committed in east Kent in the 1960s.
The victim has named Sir Edward in connection with the allegation. Detectives are making initial inquiries and will obtain a full account from the victim.’
The Hampshire Constabulary also confirmed last night that it was investigating abuse allegations, but declined to comment further.
Sir Edward was invited to the Island in July 1976 by de Gruchy to promote his book, Sailing – A Course of My Life. The ex-politician, who is one of four British prime ministers never to have married, attended a book signing event at the store and also met the Constable of St Helier at that time, Peter Baker.
Sir Edward left his 18th-century house in Salisbury and its contents to a charitable foundation for it to be used as a museum dedicated to his career.
In a statement, the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation said: ‘We welcome the investigation by Wiltshire police, which we wholeheartedly believe will clear Sir Edward’s name and we will co-operate fully with the police in their inquiries.’
Operation Whistle
Operation Whistle was launched by the States police in June following an increase in reports of historical cases of abuse following the death of Jimmy Savile and the launch of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry last year.
The suspected abuse in Jersey, which allegedly mainly took place at the former children’s home Haut de la Garenne and three other unnamed institutions which are no longer in use, goes back as far as the 1930s.
A team of six investigators was established to work in collaboration with the UK-based team under Operation Hydrant, which was set up to investigate reports of sexual abuse across the British Isles.
The force had unearthed allegations against as many as 45 people, some of whom are dead or have not yet been identified, and at least 50 alleged victims. Some of the suspects and victims are separate to those identified in the States police’s historical child abuse investigation, Operation Rectangle, which began in 2008.
Although the oldest cases date back to the 1930s, the majority are from the 1970s and 1980s, according to the States police.
The States police were unable to provide information on how many allegations had been made against Sir Edward, what the nature of the allegations were or the number of alleged victims who were involved. However, they have confirmed that a further update on Operation Whistle will be released later this year.
