Senior gay police officer may be forced to quit

By Marc Shoffman • April 19, 2006 - 0:00

Sources told the Daily Mail, that Brian Paddick could leave or be moved into a “less visible” role at the Metropolitan Police

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Britain's most senior gay police officer may be forced out of Scotland Yard, according to reports.

Brian Paddick, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner, could leave the force after conflicts between his account of the tube shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes last year, and the official police statement.

Sources told the Daily Mail, that 57-year-old Mr Paddick could leave or be moved into a "less visible" role at the Metropolitan Police.

Last month, PinkNews.co.uk reported that Mr Paddick may pursue legal action against the Metropolitan Police to defend claims that a member of Met Chief Sir Ian Blair's private team knew the Stockwell Tube shooting victim, Mr de Menezes was an innocent man just six hours after his death.

Mr Paddick believes he is being accused of lying after the Met said that rumours of a senior officer knowing Mr de Menezes was wrongfully shot just six hours after his death were untrue.

Scotland Yard has since apologised to Mr Paddick.

Chief commissioner Sir Ian Blair insists he did not know an innocent man had been targeted until the next day.

The Guardian reports that Mr Paddick may be removed from his post because of the remarks which he made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC,) a senior officer told the paper, "This is retaliation for his statement to the IPCC, other senior colleagues will dismiss any linkage."

But a Scotland Yard spokesman told the Daily Mail that Mr Paddick was not being victimised over the Stockwell incident and they do not discuss individual cases.

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