Sex abuse allegations against Sir Edward Heath include attacks on boys as young as 11, it was claimed yesterday.

The former Tory Prime Minister is expected to be linked to 42 claims of paedophile assaults including at least one rape and attacks on boys aged 11 to 15, a source alleged.

Seven of the claims would justify questioning him under caution were he alive today, a police report into the allegations is expected to reveal on Thursday.

The claims span his five decades as an MP, with some linked to the sailing world, it was reported.

(Image: Hulton Archive)

Sir Edward was in No10 from 1970 to 1974, stepped down as an MP in 2001 and died in 2005 aged 89. A keen yachtsman, he owned a racing yacht called Morning Cloud.

Two of the seven most serious alleged attacks reportedly occurred in Guernsey and Jersey, and two in Wiltshire, where Sir Edward lived in a mansion near Salisbury.

Sir Edward’s friends have accused police of a witch hunt, insisting he could not have carried such crimes because he could not drive, was under 24-hour police guard and was asexual. But the findings will reportedly reveal he owned two cars, was not watched around the clock and did have sexual relationships.

(Image: Getty )

However, his godson Lincoln Seligman criticised the probe, which he said would reveal nothing but “innuendo” which “leaves a dark stain over a man who can’t defend himself”.

Calling for a judge-led enquiry into the probe and its evidence, he said: “We want the truth and we believe the truth will exonerate him.”

Operation Conifer was launched in 2015 by Wiltshire Police and will reveal its findings on Thursday. They will be passed to the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse. The force would not comment yesterday.