Heath abuse claims: 'Child protection was not a priority'

Child protection was not a priority at Scotland Yard during the early 1990s, according to Mike Hames, who was head of the MET police paedophilia unit from 1989-1994.

The police watchdog is to investigate whether officers failed to pursue allegations of child abuse made against former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath.

Mr Hames said he had only 16 officers to deal with paedophile activity.

However, if investigations got near a prominent figure, "nobody at any time put pressure on me or my colleagues to stop."