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イギリスで1970年から74年にかけて首相を務め、2005年に死去した故エドワード・"テッド"・ヒース元首相に、1990年代に児童性的虐待に関わっていた疑いがあることが明らかになった。
警察への苦情処理独立委員会（IPCC）は8月3日、ヒース元首相が居住していた南部ウィルトシャー州警察の当時の対応を調査に着手すると述べた。退職した元警官の申し立てによると、ヒース元首相の虐待疑惑が公になる恐れが出てきた時、起訴を見送ったという。
IPCCは声明で次のように述べた。
「ヒース元首相が児童への虐待に関与しているかもしれないという疑惑をある人物が明らかにしようとした時、刑事訴追されなかった疑いがある。今回の申し立てに加え、IPCCはウィルトシャー警察が捜査したかどうかまで調査する。元警官からウィルトシャー警察への申し立てはIPCCに付託された」
ヒース元首相は1916年生まれ。1950年に保守党下院議員となり、65年、保守党初の公選により保守党党首となりった。70年の総選挙で労働党を破り首相となる。73年にはEC（ヨーロッパ共同体）加盟を実現したが、北アイルランド紛争や労働問題では強硬姿勢を貫いて支持率が低迷し、74年総選挙に敗れ首相を辞任した。75年、保守党党首選挙でマーガレット・サッチャー氏に敗北した。
1973年2月1日、アメリカのホワイトハウスでリチャード・ニクソン大統領（当時）と会談し、記者会見に臨むヒース元首相（左）
ヒース元首相の友人は、「彼は長年独身で、1965年に保守党党首に選ばれて以来24時間の警護を受けていた」と長年指摘していた。
ウィルトシャー警察は立件するためには目撃者や犠牲者が必要だと語った。
イギリスの児童虐待撲滅活動を行う団体「NSPCC」のピーター・ウォンレス代表は「虐待の犠牲者だったと確信している人が自信を持って発言し、彼らの声が届くことが重要です」と述べた。
過去に虐待があったかどうか、あるいは今も起きているのか、そして非難される人は権威のある人間なのか否か、子供に対する犯罪容疑は徹底的に調査されなければならない。
「虐待の被害を発言するのに何年も待たされている人もいる一方で、私たちは彼らに迅速な行動を促し、できるだけ早く救済にあたれるようにします」とウォンレス代表は語った。
エドワード・ヒース
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 - 17 July 2005) , British Conservative Party leader (1965 75) and Prime Minister (1970 74)(01 of25)
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