British police are investigating the former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath in connection with historical instances of sex abuse of children. But friends and former colleagues have described the allegations as 'incredulous'. [BBC / Telegraph / Daily Mail / Channel Four News].
There has been many comments on forums and social media suggesting the accusations were unfounded and that the supposed victims were just seeking compensation.
But why should police not investigate this ex-PM just because he's dead? Should investigations have been dropped following Savile's death?
The Savile allegations may have finally shaken the current establishment enough to investigate not only past abuse but also any existing sex rings. The Sidney Cooke investigations and subsequent prosecution of the so-called Dirty Dozen may be only the tip of the iceberg [BBC / YouTube ]
In the past many might people have been ignorant or oblivious of the risks of child abuse. For too long the abused have been ignored [YouTube]. For too long those appointed to serve and protect the public have instead served and protected their own debauched activities.
Such rings are not confined to one country. They exist in the US, Britain and across Europe and Asia. And individuals involved range from common workers to people in law enforcement, the judiciary and government.
There are those who will make false allegations against individuals for all sorts of reasons. But accusations should still be investigated properly, even if the person concerned is ordinary or high-ranking, alive or dead.
Should Sir Edward Heath be found to be guilty of having abused children the damage to the establishment may well be profound. But is is only proper to investigate and seek to uncover the truth and determine if others, who may well be alive, were also involved.
tvnewswatch, London, UK
There has been many comments on forums and social media suggesting the accusations were unfounded and that the supposed victims were just seeking compensation.
But why should police not investigate this ex-PM just because he's dead? Should investigations have been dropped following Savile's death?
Heath's possible paedophile behaviour could not have occurred without involving others, thus an investigation could potentially lead to actual prosecutions.
Seeking redress or compensation
Many people have suggested that victims are only seeking compensation and questioned why they have not come forward before. However, child abuse victims rarely seek compensation in terms of money and merely seek peace of mind, justice and the knowledge that they are believed. Indeed, just as with Savile and others, many people came forward to make allegations about Heath before his death but weren't believed.
Rumours & conspiracy theories
In fact several recent articles also allude to rumours about Heath's activities having circulated for a number of years but those discussing such matters had themselves been discredited for being eccentric nutters, or been arrested and deported.
Barrister Michael Shrimpton is well known for his bizarre conspiracy theories, some of which stretch the imagination. There is an interview on YouTube in which Shrimpton makes many of the allegations now being investigated, including possible complicity to abduction & murder.
Discrediting accusers
Seeking redress or compensation
Many people have suggested that victims are only seeking compensation and questioned why they have not come forward before. However, child abuse victims rarely seek compensation in terms of money and merely seek peace of mind, justice and the knowledge that they are believed. Indeed, just as with Savile and others, many people came forward to make allegations about Heath before his death but weren't believed.
Rumours & conspiracy theories
In fact several recent articles also allude to rumours about Heath's activities having circulated for a number of years but those discussing such matters had themselves been discredited for being eccentric nutters, or been arrested and deported.
Barrister Michael Shrimpton is well known for his bizarre conspiracy theories, some of which stretch the imagination. There is an interview on YouTube in which Shrimpton makes many of the allegations now being investigated, including possible complicity to abduction & murder.
Discrediting accusers
However, because of the association with David Icke as well as Shrimpton's other bizarre theories, the allegations were seen as ridiculous. Indeed Shrimpton was further discredited after his arrest & being jailed for calling a close colleague of former Defence Secretary Philip Hammond in April 2012 to say that a nuclear warhead had been stashed in an east London hospital and was going to be used to attack either the Queen, the Olympic Stadium, or the opening ceremony [Daily Mail / Mirror / journal-neo.org].
Others who have previously investigated the Heath allegations have found themselves expelled from the country. Newsweek's Leah McGrath Goodman expulsion from the UK after investigating claims of sexual abuse by senior politicians is seen by some as rather suspicious and convenient [LBC].
Others were raided and threatened by police such as the UK journalist Don Hale who was given a dossier naming VIP paedophiles by Barbara Castle MP. Soon after receiving the documents he was raided by Special Branch and threatened should he publish any details [Daily Mail / ABC / google-law blogspot].
Accusations 'incredulous'
Of course, the ex-PM may indeed be entirely innocent, and the rumours may be simply that - just rumours. Robert Vaudry, private secretary to Heath from 1988 to 1992, has expressed his astonishment at the accusations. "I spent four years working for Ted and we ran his life like a military campaign. We knew what he was doing every minute of every day through that four year period so to think there were things going on that we weren't aware of, very surprised and shocked, incredulous really," Vaudry told the BBC.
Others also stood up for the former PM. Former Tory MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley, who worked in Sir Edward's office, said, "I find it very difficult to believe from the Ted Heath that I knew. It's easy to smear people not around." [Daily Mail]
Investigation warranted
But while many might think the allegations against a former British PM are fanciful they should nonetheless be thoroughly investigated.
It is not the first time that allegations against high profile individuals have been made or uncovered. In the 1980s Belgium was at the centre of similar allegations. A man named Marc Dutroux was arrested in connection with the abduction of children who were abused by men involved in a paedophile ring which, it is alleged, extended to persons in authority and even the government.
There was widespread anger and frustration among Belgians due to police errors, the general slowness of the investigation and Dutroux's claims that he was part of a sex ring that included high-ranking members of the police force and government [Independent].
But it took more than a decade before Dutroux was finally convicted, and any suggestion that he was part of a wider sex ring dismissed. Indeed there has been no in depth investigation into whether members of the police force and government were involved [Guardian / YouTube].
Dutroux may have been convicted and jailed, but allegations continue, and there are indications that paedophile rings still exist. Regina Louf, who claimed to be a survivor of child abuse within the Dutroux sex ring, was dismissed as a fantasist and liar. Meanwhile some 20 Dutroux accusers have died in mysterious circumstances.
As late as 2008 there appeared to be evidence that Belgian sex rings were still operating with leaked police documents appearing to indicate that Madeleine McCann was snatched to order. According to an email sent by the Metropolitan Police a child abduction ring based in Belgium placed an order for a "young girl" [Telegraph].
Wake-up calls
Others who have previously investigated the Heath allegations have found themselves expelled from the country. Newsweek's Leah McGrath Goodman expulsion from the UK after investigating claims of sexual abuse by senior politicians is seen by some as rather suspicious and convenient [LBC].
Others were raided and threatened by police such as the UK journalist Don Hale who was given a dossier naming VIP paedophiles by Barbara Castle MP. Soon after receiving the documents he was raided by Special Branch and threatened should he publish any details [Daily Mail / ABC / google-law blogspot].
Accusations 'incredulous'
Of course, the ex-PM may indeed be entirely innocent, and the rumours may be simply that - just rumours. Robert Vaudry, private secretary to Heath from 1988 to 1992, has expressed his astonishment at the accusations. "I spent four years working for Ted and we ran his life like a military campaign. We knew what he was doing every minute of every day through that four year period so to think there were things going on that we weren't aware of, very surprised and shocked, incredulous really," Vaudry told the BBC.
Others also stood up for the former PM. Former Tory MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley, who worked in Sir Edward's office, said, "I find it very difficult to believe from the Ted Heath that I knew. It's easy to smear people not around." [Daily Mail]
Investigation warranted
But while many might think the allegations against a former British PM are fanciful they should nonetheless be thoroughly investigated.
It is not the first time that allegations against high profile individuals have been made or uncovered. In the 1980s Belgium was at the centre of similar allegations. A man named Marc Dutroux was arrested in connection with the abduction of children who were abused by men involved in a paedophile ring which, it is alleged, extended to persons in authority and even the government.
There was widespread anger and frustration among Belgians due to police errors, the general slowness of the investigation and Dutroux's claims that he was part of a sex ring that included high-ranking members of the police force and government [Independent].
But it took more than a decade before Dutroux was finally convicted, and any suggestion that he was part of a wider sex ring dismissed. Indeed there has been no in depth investigation into whether members of the police force and government were involved [Guardian / YouTube].
Dutroux may have been convicted and jailed, but allegations continue, and there are indications that paedophile rings still exist. Regina Louf, who claimed to be a survivor of child abuse within the Dutroux sex ring, was dismissed as a fantasist and liar. Meanwhile some 20 Dutroux accusers have died in mysterious circumstances.
As late as 2008 there appeared to be evidence that Belgian sex rings were still operating with leaked police documents appearing to indicate that Madeleine McCann was snatched to order. According to an email sent by the Metropolitan Police a child abduction ring based in Belgium placed an order for a "young girl" [Telegraph].
Wake-up calls
The Savile allegations may have finally shaken the current establishment enough to investigate not only past abuse but also any existing sex rings. The Sidney Cooke investigations and subsequent prosecution of the so-called Dirty Dozen may be only the tip of the iceberg [BBC / YouTube ]
In the past many might people have been ignorant or oblivious of the risks of child abuse. For too long the abused have been ignored [YouTube]. For too long those appointed to serve and protect the public have instead served and protected their own debauched activities.
Such rings are not confined to one country. They exist in the US, Britain and across Europe and Asia. And individuals involved range from common workers to people in law enforcement, the judiciary and government.
There are those who will make false allegations against individuals for all sorts of reasons. But accusations should still be investigated properly, even if the person concerned is ordinary or high-ranking, alive or dead.
Should Sir Edward Heath be found to be guilty of having abused children the damage to the establishment may well be profound. But is is only proper to investigate and seek to uncover the truth and determine if others, who may well be alive, were also involved.
tvnewswatch, London, UK
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