Ted Heath allegations

The police are damned if they do and damned if they don't. The investigation of child sexual abuse and exploitation is fraught with difficulties. They had to investigate the allegations against Ted Heath. On of the reasons I believe the investigation of historical allegations can't just be dismissed as being a waste of money and impossible to prove is that we learn from history, otherwise we're destined to repeat it.
Cyril Smith, Jimmy Saville and yes, the former PM have been the subject of rumour for as long as I can remember. We have learned a lot as a society in recent years. No one now disputes that there is a problem with child sexual abuse and exploitation. We seem to go 3 steps forward and 2 back in our ability to believe the extent of it.

What were the 'rumours' about Ted Heath, that he was a Peadophile?

Maybe there were 'rumours' he as homosexual but a Peadophile?

It's true there are victims even though the alleged perpetrator is dead. In the aftermath of Jimmy Savile etc the police are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Anyone making false accusations should be charged

To return to the original post, the people concerned should be referred to as alleged victims; they have made allegations which it appears are impossible to substantiate as there is no irrefutable evidence, and the person they have accused is dead and therefore unable to answer questions.
I remember there being speculation as to Edward Heath's possible sexual orientation throughout his career, but none about him being a paedophile.

If the allegations were proven then he would be a peadophile.

I think that there is sufficient oral evidence from a number of people/ victims that shows a similar pattern etc to mean that the police are satisfied that these young boys/victims were indeed subjected to sexual assault. The difficulty is that the alleged perpetrator is dead.

whitewave, I agree. There were persistent 'rumours' about JS and Cyril Smith throughout their lives. It was only after their death that investigations confirmed those rumours were based in the truth.
Alleged victims remain in some kind of limbo. At least some of the victims of JS and CS now know they were believed even if the justice they wanted was never served.

So shouldn't we be suspicious of all gay men , there was talk of Heath being gay, never of him being a peadophile

The accusations against Leon Brittan when he was dying , I doubt the money the police had to pay his widow eased her hurt, husband dying of cancer and police and press discussing allegations against her husband.

It's ridiculous to say we should be suspicious of all gay men.

The police have a duty it investigate allegations. It's not for them to pick and choose who and when they investigate.

annie that remark is a disgrace

No whitewave it was not a disgrace. The only whispers about Heath was he was homosexual , since the police announced their non findings on national tv we read on this forum there were rumours he was a peodophile, this is so wrong. Can we assume when he was on his yatch abusing these children the police protection squad with him didn't notice ?

Vampire queen, not for the police to pick and choose who and when they investigate ? Try telling the Lawrence family that or the families of the hillsborough victims,

Anniebach, if you say that your suggestion that all gay men are paedophiles is valid then equally we should suggest that all hetrosexual men are paedophiles as some have been proven in court to be so. Therefore are you suggesting that all men should be considered to be paedophiles? What about female paedophiles? Are we all to be suspected paedophiles too?

Seems yes vampire queen,

if as been claimed in this thread there were rumours Heath had young boys on his yacht and various places in London why do you think his police protection team didn't notice?

I think it is disgusting that all gay men should be suspected of being paedophiles and I don't think for one moment that that was what Ab was suggesting.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Ab but I read your comment as disapproving of that assumption being made.

I am not sure what has been gained by publishing this report. As has been said, Ted Heath cannot defend himself: the truth will never be proved one way or another. Whilst I sympathise with the alleged victims, I fail to see how there is any of the so-called closure achieved and his reputation has been sullied. His family and close friends are now the “victims”.

I fail to see what the publication of this report has gained. The truth will now never be proved one way or the other.
Whilst I sympathise with the alleged victims, I cannot see how they have achieved any “closure” from the report. The victims now are Ted Heath’s family and friends who see their relative/friend’s reputation sullied.

Thank you Maisie, yes exactly what I meant. Twisting posts is sadly a form of attack.

annie was begging a question with disaproval, not stating a fact! I think she made that perfectly clear!!!

Thank you niggly, they knew that, just the usual sniping , very playground .

Take care you never refer to a swarm of bees, crowds etc, it's racist now

Thank you too annie, I'll bear your advice in mind, and be careful!!

Niggly, must share this. Just had a chat with a member of the rotary club , he was delivering leaflets regarding the Caledonian Market they hold every year, I said - still so popular after all these years. He said yes and we raise a large amount for local charities, it is an exhausting few days , putting out all the stalls, then open the doors and in they swarm in their hundreds thank God.

I held back on the giggles but it was so funny

Just because someone challenges you doesn't mean they are 'sniping' or acting as if they were in the 'playground'.

Agree vampirequeen

Please don't go on with this argument. Haven't we established that Ab 's original statement re gay men & paedophilia was misunderstood?

Oh annie, I'm glad you were so restrained!!!!