January 2001 Pervert forged ex-PM’s letter A CONVICTED paedophile forged a letter from former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath’s private office to bluff his way into the Philippines to film obscene videos of young boys. Durham Wragg wrote to Philippine immigration officials claiming he was a man of good character and was going abroad to get married. But the pervert used the trip to a holiday resort outside Manilla to film boys aged between eight and 16 in his hotel bedroom. Wragg was caught when he flew back to Manchester after a joint operation involving Customs officials and the Greater Manchester Police Obscene Publications Unit. And in a landmark case at the city’s crown court, Wragg, 56, was jailed for 30 months. He admitted smuggling, possessing and taking obscene pictures of boys – the first time that the taking of indecent images in another country has been prosecuted in the United Kingdom under the Sexual Offenders Act. Judge Anthony Ensor told him: ”Anyone listening to this case and looking at the photographs could have nothing but feelings of revulsion and disgust at what you imported. ”It is clear from the videos that this was a planned activity on your part and the clumsy forgery of the letter from Sir Edward Heath’s private office makes that apparent. ”I have to make it plain that this type of conduct can only receive a custodial sentence. You have not learned from your previous sentence and you will have to appreciate that if you continue in this way you will receive lengthier and lengthier sentences. ”I have a duty to punish you and deter others from bringing filth into this country.” Wragg was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. Suzanne Goddard, prosecuting, said Wragg was intercepted at Manchester Airport after flying in from Kuala Lumpar. Wragg claimed there was nothing indecent on the video but the film depicted boys dancing in their underwear and performing simulated sex acts in his hotel room. He also had the letter supposedly written from Sir Edward Heath’s private office. Wragg had obtained the letterhead after writing to Sir Edward Heath and getting a reply from his office. His Sheffield home was searched and in a hidden compartment under the stairs a number of obscene videos were found which he had filmed on a trip to Thailand in 1993.