|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Yard Holds Talks On Gay Officer In Cannabis Row
Stewart Tendler The Times
Monday 18 Mar 2002 TOP-LEVEL talks on the future of the Scotland Yard commander at the centre of gay sex and drugs allegations will be held today. A week after Commander Brian Paddick, who heads 800 police in Lambeth, South London, was carpeted over comments he made on a radical website about anarchism, his former lover claimed in a Sunday newspaper that he had regularly smoked cannabis. James Renolleau, who was Mr Paddick's partner for five years, also accused him of frequent casual gay sex encounters, visiting gay saunas and beginning an affair with him when he was on bail over alleged fraud. Yesterday Mr Paddick, who is open about his sexuality and is piloting a liberal approach to cannabis possession in Lambeth, denied smoking cannabis, but acknowledged that he had tolerated his boyfriend's use of the drug. Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and Lord Harris of Haringey, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, will discuss today what to do about the allegations and Mr Paddick's response. In a statement yesterday the authority said that the article and any other material would be studied. Sir John and Lord Harris will then decide whether an inquiry should be held. Scotland Yard sources said yesterday that Sir John and Lord Harris faced a dilemma. The allegations came after a relationship ended acrimoniously and the only witnesses to the alleged drug-taking appear to be the men themselves. Mr Renolleau sold his story and is reported to have left Britain. A criminal investigation over the cannabis allegations would be carried out by Scotland Yard's anti-corruption unit like any other case. If Mr Paddick had breached disciplinary codes, the inquiry would have to be sanctioned by the police authority. He could, for example, be accused of bringing the police into disrepute or failing to carry out his duties. Mr Renolleau, a former cashier with Westminster Abbey, claimed that Mr Paddick had smoked cannabis hundreds of times and allowed the drug to be stored in his flat. He also claimed that the commander boasted of a promiscuous sex life before they met, including having had sex on the Gatwick Express and under a pier. He claimed that Mr Paddick broke police rules by not telling his bosses that when they met, Mr Renolleau was on bail. Mr Renolleau was later cleared of stealing cash and keepsakes from his former partner, who was dying. Mr Paddick vehemently denied the allegations about sex and cannabis yesterday. He said: "I have never smoked cannabis, ever."
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!