An interesting cutting from the Daily Mail Tuesday, February 20, 2001
Police close
book on officer in £3m corruption probe
By Jaya Narain
A POLICE officer at the centre
of a corruption case that cost the taxpayer more than £3 million will not face a
disciplinary inquiry. Detective Constable Anthony Hoban, 42, was arrested and suspended
in 1996 over claims he plotted with informants to split reward money for solving
crimes.
He was charged with 30 offences including five counts of corruption, rnisconduct in a public office, deception, handling stolen goods, perverting the course of justice and possessing a prohibited weapon. But the court case was delayed several times until it was finally stayed last June when the judge heard the inquiry had left Mr Hoban, of Whittle-le-Woods, near Chorley, Lancashire, suffering from mental health problems and stress.
Now Lancashire Police have abandoned a serious internal disciplinary inquiry after it emerged the officer, who was based at Chorley CID, was not to face the hearing. Mr Hoban is now considering legal action against the force for stress suffered during the investigation. The detective was arrested and suspended on full pay in October 1996 after two informants alleged that he had plotted with them to claim rewards for giving vital information on unsolved crimes. One informant also claimed that the officer; who had 22 years' service on the force, had given him an illegal stun gun for his own protection.
Officers from Sussex Police were called in to carry out the independent inquiry and Mr Hoban was charged with 30 offences. But his trial was put back 18 months and then further delays were caused when prosecution lawyers failed to hand over vital documents on time. When it was feared that the case might again be postponed, Judge Barry Woodward decided to call a halt to the proceedings claiming the delays had produced a significant prejudice which could not be remedied.
Married Mr Hoban had been commended during his career for arrests and evacuating
people from a house fire. A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “The police officer
was not fit to face an internal disciplinary hearing and the inquiry has been discontinued.
The officer is no longer suspended from the force and we are seeking medical advice”.
Mr
Hoban may now decide to take legal action against the force and could sue Chief Constable
Pauline Clare - the highest ranking female officer in the country.
j.narain@dailymail.co.uk
www.slimeylimeyjustice.org