3-6-2012 United Kingdom:A former Leicester man who died when his flat was deliberately set on fire was a convicted sex offender, police have revealed.
Officers disclosed Andrew Heath's criminal history – including offences against young boys in Leicester – this week, three months after his death in his flat in Worcester.
Police are examining the possibility that the arson attacks and the 52-year-old's past offences may be linked.
Mr Heath, a former member of Leicester Male Voice Choir and a fan of Leicester City, the Tigers and the county cricket team, dialled 999, knowing he was trapped in his flat in Chedworth Close, Warndon, at about 4am on December 14.
West Mercia Police have now revealed Mr Heath had committed five sexual offences, including gross indecency and indecent assault, between 1984 and 1999 in Leicester and Birmingham.
His victims were boys aged between 14 and 17. Some of the offences were committed before the age of consent for gay men was lowered from 18 to 16 in 2000. Detectives said they had no records of any offences or complaints against him since he moved to Worcester in 2001.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Williamson, of West Mercia Police, said: "We have looked at whether these offences could have been a motivation for someone to target Mr Heath, but to date we have no evidence of this.
"Whatever Mr Heath did in his past, he died in a terrible way and his family have been left in limbo not knowing what happened to him.
"The person responsible is still out there on our streets and needs to be caught."
The 52-year-old's family are originally from Leicester's West End.
His sister, Leia Charleson and her parents, Les and Helen, now live in Eastbourne. Ms Charleson, 57, said: "I can't understand why anyone would do this."
A £20,000 reward has been offered to anyone who supplies the information which results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mr Heath's death.
A number of people have been arrested in connection with the attack. None have been charged. ..Source.. by Leicester Mercury
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Three bailed in Andrew Heath murder case
THREE people who were arrested on suspicion of murdering Worcester man Andrew Heath have been released on bail.
Two men, aged 21 and 20, and a 17-year-old male youth were arrested on Monday at addresses in the city’s Warndon and Brickfields areas and taken in for questioning.
They were arrested as part of the investigation into the death of Andrew Heath, who was killed in a flat fire at his home in Warndon.
Mr Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Chedworth Close after a suspected arson attack in the early hours of Wednesday, December 14.
The latest arrests brings the total of people now arrested in relation to the killing to 10. ..Source.. by Freya Leng
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Police reveal Worcester arson victim was a paedophile
4-5-2012:
A Worcester man, who was killed after an arson attack on his home, was a convicted paedophile, according to West Mercia Police.
Andrew Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Warndon last December.
Police confirmed he was convicted for gross indecency and indecent assault against teenage boys five times during the 1980s and 1990s. These assaults happened in Leicester and Birmingham- before Mr Heath moved to Worcester.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Williamson, who is leading the operation, said:
""I have taken the decision to make public details of previous offences committed by Andrew Heath because it may have some bearing on our inquiries.
"Since his death a lot of rumours have been circulating around the local community in Warndon about Mr Heath, some of them quite fanciful, and we believe these may have hampered our investigation. We wish to set the record straight and use this as another opportunity to appeal to the public for any information".
"a lot of rumours have been circulating around the local community in Warndon about Mr Heath, some of them quite fanciful, and we believe these may have hampered our investigation"West Mercia Police say they have no records of any offences or complaints against him since he moved to Worcester.
DCI Williamson said:
"Whatever Mr Heath did in his past, he died in a terrible way and his family have been left in limbo not knowing what happened to him."A total of 10 people have been arrested over his death. To date, nobody has been charged.
Police increased the reward for information leading to finding Mr Heath's killer from £10,000 to £20,000. ..Source.. by ITV Central
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