Criminals 'Bribe' Met Officers

10 January 2014, 11:10

The 2002 internal report obtained by The Independent says they were able to access sensitive information to help evade prosecution.

Organised criminals were able to bribe corrupt officers to get access to sensitive information, according to the report.

It said the problem went to the heart of operations at Scotland Yard and resulted in criminals avoiding prosecution.

Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz says he is deeply concerned by the findings and will be contacting Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to ensure the allegations have been fully investigated.

The Metropolitan Police say all allegations and intelligence are taken extremely seriously and that any lessons will reduce the likelihood of it happening again.

A statement read: "The dedicated anti-corruption command (ACC), part of the Met's directorate of professional standards, pro-actively investigates any allegations or intelligence relating to either corrupt police officers and staff and those that may seek to corrupt our officers staff.

"All such allegations and intelligence are taken extremely seriously and any any lessons learnt from resulting investigations are used to further our efforts to reduce the likelihood of such offences occurring in the future.

"There is no complacency in the Met's determination to succeed in this task and the work of the officers and staff of the ACC is undertaken relentlessly and determinably, fully recognising that criminals who seek to corrupt our officers and staff will remain a threat to the work of the MPS, the criminal justice process and therefore a threat to public safety."