February 21, 2014

Police officer charged following Fleet Street corruption probe

A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with leaking information to newspapers as part of Operation Elveden.

Timothy Edwards, 48, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 10 March after being charged at a London police station yesterday.

Edwards was the 55th person arrested in connection with Operation Elveden.

Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The CPS has today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Timothy Edwards with one count of misconduct in public office between 31 March 2008 and 1 July 2011.

“Mr Edwards will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 10 March 2014.

“Criminal proceedings have now commenced and this defendant has a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Operation Elveden is an investigation into inappropriate payments to the police and public officials. It is being run alongside Operation Weeting, investigating phone-hacking and Operation Tuleta, investigating computer hacking.

Meanwhile, Operation Elveden detectives have announced that they are no longer investigating a 52-year-old journalist.

The journalist was questioned under caution on 4 December 2013 on suspected conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. However, on Tuesday, it was announced that no further action was to be taken.

Earlier this month, detectives arrested a former prison worker in Buckinghamshire in connection with the corruption probe.

The 66-year-old man was the 84th person arrested in connection with the investigation.

He was bailed to reappear at an unnamed police station in May.

Charge:

Between the 31st March 2008 and the 1st July 2011, Timothy Edwards being a public officer, namely a Metropolitan Police Officer, and acting as such, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust in that office, Contrary to Common Law.