Edward Heath abuse claims: Wiltshire Police to lead investigation

A spokesman for the Wiltshire force said its appointment as lead force in the national investigation would ensure a consistent approach was adopted and duplication avoided.

The Met is investigating a group of alleged paedophiles that includes Heath, and it is unclear how the allegations by Nick specifically about the former prime minister can be isolated from its wider operation.

The mystery deepened when the prosecuting barrister at the time said claims against Sir Edward played no part in the decision to drop the case in question in the early 1990s.

But Mrs Forde, known as “Madam Ling-Ling”, told Channel 4 News yesterday: “He’s not a paedophile, he’s not a paedophile”.

“He was just a very secretive and shy gay man”, she said.

“He never asked me for children, and I never supplied anybody young boys”.

The former prostitute was eventually jailed in 1995 and 2009 for running a brothel in Salisbury, close to Sir Edward’s home. But her credibility has been thrown into doubt after she changed her story as revelations about her criminal career came to light.

Despite previously saying she had had ‘no involvement with Ted Heath of any kind, ‘ Forde has now said he was a client for six months in late 1990 – but no evidence would be found to suggest he liked kids. But yesterday, she admitted having had some contact with him. She said she knew he was no younger because she checked his passport.

The IPCC inquiry is examining claims that witnesses to a court case were persuaded to withdraw their planned testimony against a brothel keeper, Myra Forde, who now lives in London, in order to stop the exposure of Heath.

Former friends and colleagues of Sir Edward rallied to defend his reputation.

The announcement is something of a surprise, given as many as seven other forces revealed the former Conservative leader had been named in allegations made to them over the years, and national investigation called Operation Hydrant is already looking into historic sex abuse allegations made against “persons of public prominence”. Robert Vaudry, Heath’s private secretary from 1988 to 1992, said: “There were Special Branch officers with him all the time”.

And he said that although an alleged offender may be dead, any accomplices may still be alive and remain a threat.

The police force facing a corruption probe over its handling of child sex claims involving Sir Edward Heath has been appointed to oversee investigations into allegations against the former Prime Minister.