Former Tory MP: Gay sex conviction made me ‘easy target’ for sex abuse claims
Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor has continued to deny claims that he abused and murdered two young boys – and claims he is an ‘easy target’ because of gay sex convictions.
Mr Proctor – who was questioned by police over abuse allegations but has not been arrested or charged – went to the press yesterday to speak about the claims. He said the case is nothing more than a “homosexual witch-hunt” that had “wrecked his life”.
Allegations were made against Mr Proctor, Ted Heath and Leon Brittan by a mystery accuser. The accuser claims Mr Proctor repeatedly stabbed one victim with a kitchen knife before raping him, and being one of a group who punched and kicked another boy until he was unconscious.
Speaking to Channel 4 News about his decision to go to the press, he said: “I got angry and fed up at the ‘drip, drip, drip’ approach of information getting onto the media about what I was supposed to have done, or not done. I thought it was best if I revealed all, so individuals can make their own judgement.
“I knew I had not done any of the things that this person has alleged. I cannot possibly believe that the other people can have done these things either.”
He added that it is “inconceivable” that he would even socialise with Ted Heath, because the pair despised eachother.
He said: “It got to the point where I had to say to the police: ‘You are playing a press game here – you don’t believe this for one moment.’
“I am homosexual. I am not a murderer or a paedophile.”
Mr Proctor saidhe had wanted to keep his sexuality private – and did not relish it being forced into the public domain.
He added: “At the time were press were trying to out me… I wasn’t prepared to be outed as a gay MP. I wanted to keep that private, not because I was ashamed of it – I just didn’t think that had anything to do with the job of being a Member of Parliament. There were no out gay MPs at that time – it would have been suicide, you’d have been signing your death warrant as a Conservative MP.
“I have not commented on my sexual proclivities and activities because I believe that to be private. I don’t go around asking other people what they do in their bedroom.”
Mr Proctor resigned as an MP in 1987 after pleading guilty to acts of gross indecency – related to sexual encounters with male sex workers aged 17 to 21. At the time of his conviction, the age of consent for gay sex was still 21.
He told Channel 4 News he was now considered an “easy target” because of the previous charge – even though the age of consent is now 16.
The former MP said: “In 1987 I pleaded guilty to four charges of gross indecency concerning the age of consent. I thought someone I’d been with was over the age of 21, he turned out to be 19.”
“When the person came into my apartment, wired for sound by a newspaper, on the press’s own tape he [said] he was over 21. He lied even on the press’s own tape.”
“That consensual activity is a million miles away from what is alleged against me now. In 1987 I was 40, I was meeting people in their 20s and 30s.
“I have not murdered anyone, I did not sexually abuse children.”
Mr Proctor has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the supposed VIP Westminster paedophile ring that was said to have operated during the 1970s and 1980s.
Operation Midland was launched last November to investigate the claims that boys had been sexually abused by a string of VIPs – including politicians, members of the judiciary and senior military figures.
This is the second time Mr Proctor – former MP for Billericay – has been questioned by police regarding the allegations, but charges are still yet to be brought to anybody involved.
Earlier this month, the police launched a probe into former Prime Minister Edward Heath, after allegations of rape and sexual abuse were made against him.
However, Myra Ling-Ling Forde – the former brothel owner who is alleged to have escaped prosecution by promising to expose the former Prime Minister as a sex offender – later claimed she only ever found him adult “company – and he was happy.”
“You know, he’s not a paedophile, he’s not a paedophile. He never asked me for young children, and I never [supplied] anybody [with] young boys.
“I’d like to put it straight that he’s not a paedophile. He was just an old, sad, gay man.”
