Editing Edward Heath (section)

===Allegations of child sexual abuse===
{{See also|Elm Guest House hoax}}
In April 2015, a rape claim against Heath was investigated by the [[Metropolitan Police]] but was dropped.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/06/wiltshire-police-rape-claim-against-edward-heath-rape-dropped/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/06/wiltshire-police-rape-claim-against-edward-heath-rape-dropped/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Wiltshire Police rape claim against Edward Heath was dropped by Scotland Yard two years ago |first1=Robert |last1=Mendick |first2=Martin |last2=Evans |date=6 October 2017 |access-date=27 May 2018 |work=The Telegraph |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In August 2015, several police forces were investigating allegations of [[child sexual abuse]] by Heath.<ref name="SKY1530217"/> Hampshire, Jersey, Kent, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Thames Valley constabularies and London's Metropolitan Police investigated such claims.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edward Heath abuse claims: Five forces investigating ex-PM |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33770021 |work=BBC News |date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33807497 |title=Edward Heath claims 'did not halt brothel case |website=BBC News |date=6 August 2015 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> It was reported that a man had claimed that at the age of 12 years he had been raped by Heath in a [[Mayfair]] flat in 1961, after he had run away from home.<ref>{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Steve |title=Edward Heath 'raped 12-year-old boy at Mayfair flat' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/edward-heath-raped-12-yearold-boy-at-mayfair-flat-10436554.html |access-date=4 August 2015 |work=The Independent |location=London |date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/08/edward-heath-wasnt-gay-trust-me-i-tried-and-failed-to-seduce-him/ |author-link=Jonathan King |last=King |first=Jonathan |work=Coffee House (Spectator blog) |title=Why I don't believe that Ted Heath was gay |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=4 April 2016 |archive-date=19 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219203456/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/08/edward-heath-wasnt-gay-trust-me-i-tried-and-failed-to-seduce-him/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Allegations about Heath were investigated as part of [[Operation Midland]], the Metropolitan Police inquiry into claims of historic child abuse and related [[homicide]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/04/edward-heath-met-have-been-investigating-claims-for-several-months |title=Edward Heath: Met has been investigating claims for several months |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=4 August 2015}}</ref> A witness called "Nick" was introduced to the police by the former ''[[Exaro]]'' website, who had asked him about alleged child sexual abuse by prominent figures at the [[Dolphin Square]] apartment complex in [[Pimlico]], London; Heath was reported to be one of the figures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Conrad |first1=Mark |last2=Watts |first2=Mark |url=http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5629/sir-edward-heath-met-also-investigates-claims-of-child-sex-abuse |title=Sir Edward Heath: Met also investigates claims of child sex abuse |website=Exaro News |date=4 August 2015 |access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> In 2018 "Nick", whose real name is [[Carl Beech (Operation Midland)|Carl Beech]], was arrested and charged over child pornography offences<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/source-of-vip-sex-abuse-ring-reports-that-prompted-failed-police-probe-is-charged-with-child-porn-offences/ |title=Source of 'VIP Sex Abuse Ring' Reports that Sparked Failed Police Probe is Charged Over Child Porn Offences |date=7 February 2018 |website=Press Gazette |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> and in January 2019 he pleaded guilty.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46965787 |title=Man Admits Voyeurism and Indecent Image Charges |website=BBC News |date=23 January 2019 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> Beech, who had fabricated allegations against Heath and other prominent politicians and civil servants, was sentenced in July 2019 to eighteen years in prison.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49130670 |title=Carl Beech: 'VIP abuse' accuser jailed for 18 years |date=26 July 2019 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

Also in August 2015, [[Sky News]] reported that Jersey police were investigating allegations against Heath as part of [[Operation Whistle]],<ref name="SKY1530217">{{cite news |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1530217/calls-made-to-ted-heath-child-sex-abuse-line |publisher=Sky News |title=Calls Made To Ted Heath Child Sex Abuse Line |date=4 August 2015}}</ref> and a similar investigation, Operation Conifer, was launched by [[Wiltshire Police]] at the same time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Willgress |first1=Lydia |last2=Evans |first2=Martin |title=Two people arrested as part of police probe into child abuse allegations against Sir Edward Heath |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/two-people-arrested-as-part-of-police-probe-into-child-abuse-all/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/two-people-arrested-as-part-of-police-probe-into-child-abuse-all/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=26 February 2017 |work=The Telegraph |date=14 November 2016 |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, which operates the museum at Arundells, his home in Salisbury, said it welcomed the investigation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Edward Heath abuse claims: IPCC investigates police |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33755726 |access-date=4 April 2016 |work=BBC News |date=3 August 2015}}</ref> In November 2016, criminologist [[Richard Hoskins]] said that the evidence used against Heath in Operation Conifer, including discredited allegations of [[satanic ritual abuse]], was "preposterous", "fantastical" and gained through the "controversial" practice of [[recovered-memory therapy]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Booth |first=Robert |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/27/ted-heath-police-child-abuse-inquiry-fantastical-evidence |title=Ted Heath's accuser 'gave child abuse inquiry fantastical evidence' |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=27 November 2016 |access-date=28 November 2016}}</ref> Operation Conifer was closed in March 2017, having cost a reported £1.5&nbsp;million over two years, as no corroborating evidence had been found in any of the 42 allegations by 40 individuals (including three different names used by one person).<ref name="PE1455">{{cite magazine |date=20 October 2017 |title=Veale butchers Grocer |magazine=[[Private Eye]] |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mendick |first=Robert |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/police-wind-sir-edward-heath-sex-abuse-probe/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/police-wind-sir-edward-heath-sex-abuse-probe/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Police Wind Up Sir Edward Heath Sex Abuse Inquiry |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=18 March 2017|access-date=29 June 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In September 2017, it was announced that the [[Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse]] would review the police investigation into Heath.<ref>{{cite news |title=Child sex abuse inquiry to consider Edward Heath investigation |url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/10/national-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-to-consider-edward-heath-investigation |access-date=10 September 2017 |work=The Guardian |agency=Press Association |date=10 September 2017}}</ref> Police said that if Heath were still alive they would have interviewed him [[Right to silence in England and Wales|under caution]] in relation to seven out of the 42 allegations,<ref name="PE1455"/> but nothing should be inferred about his guilt or innocence.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/05/ted-heath-would-have-been-questioned-over-seven-abuse-claims-police-say |title=Ted Heath would have been questioned over abuse claims, police say |first1=Vikram |last1=Dodd |first2=Steven |last2=Morris |date=5 October 2017 |access-date=5 October 2017|work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/30/police-say-there-were-grounds-to-suspect-edward-heath-over-child-abuse-claims |title=Police say there were grounds to suspect Edward Heath over child abuse claims |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=30 September 2017}}</ref> In his summary report, Chief Constable [[Mike Veale]] confirmed that "no further corroborative evidence was found" to support the satanic abuse claims.<ref name="PE1455"/>