Lenny Harper, who led the 2008 investigation into historical child abuse at Haut de la Garenne – codenamed Operation Rectangle – has warned that any investigation into the former Tory leader could divert attention away from the ongoing inquiry into historical child abuse and could provide a smokescreen for members of the establishment in Jersey and the UK.
Mr Harper said that he received no allegations of abuse against Sir Edward but he was ‘not surprised’ to learn that several police forces, including Jersey, were investigating claims made against the ex-Prime Minister.
The former deputy police chief said that recent evidence given during the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry had been ‘devastating’ to the establishment.
In recent weeks, the inquiry has heard that the-then Attorney General Sir Philip Bailhache failed to pass claims of abuse onto the police. It also heard former head of Children’s Services Anton Skinner admit that the way he dealt with allegations of physical abuse made against Alan and Jane Maguire – former house parents at Blanche Pierre – could be perceived as a ‘cover-up’.
Mr Harper said: ‘After seeing the lengths that the Jersey establishment went to in attempts to suppress allegations against Jersey residents, I’m not surprised by anything anymore.
‘Even though Heath did not feature in our investigation, I am not surprised.’
He added: ‘To say or infer that they are investigating Heath nicely draws attention away from the manner in which some senior officers of the States police treated the victims of abuse in late 2008, and from the evidence currently being given to the care inquiry.
‘There has been some significant and, for the establishment, devastating evidence given to the inquiry in recent weeks – the evidence from Anton Skinner about the Maguires, the revelation that Philip Bailhache hid crimes from the police, and of course the chair of the inquiry accusing the States and its departments of hampering the inquiry.’
He said: ‘I don’t know if Heath was a paedophile or not. The possibility always remains that he could be the sacrificial scapegoat for the establishment.
‘There is no doubt that the catalogue of crimes, including the cover-ups by those not actually involved in abuse, extends right in among the UK and Jersey’s highest echelons, and Heath fits the profile.’
Mr Harper is expected to give evidence to the inquiry when the panel moves onto the second phase of its investigation by looking into Operation Rectangle and how prosecutions were handled by States police.
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.
