Top detective was corrupt, court told

A SENIOR detective passed information on the attempted murder of one of his own officers to the gang of a notorious drugs baron - using one of TV's Gladiators as a go-between, a court heard yesterday.

Detective Chief Inspector Elmore Davies, of Merseyside Police, was accused of undermining the prosecution of Philip Glennon Jr, who was charged with the attempted killing, in exchange for money.

Nottingham Crown Court was told that Mr Davies, 50, was the police end of a chain to Curtis Warren, who was jailed last year in Holland for major drugs smuggling. Gladiator Mike Ahearne was a go-between, it was claimed.

Peter Joyce QC, for the prosecution, said the case stemmed from an incident outside The Venue nightclub in Tuebrook, Liverpool, in July 1996 when Mr Glennon Jr was thrown out.

He later returned with a loaded gun and, after a dispute, fired it at a doorman. The gun jammed and Mr Glennon was chased by two police constables, Gary Titherington and Christian Gilbert.

"Glennon was arrested after a struggle and the gun was recovered. He was charged with the attempted murder of the doorman and PC Titherington at whom he had raised the gun and fired," Mr Joyce said.

Mr Davies then allegedly supplied information about PC Titherington which was passed to the gang of Curtis Warren, who was Mr Glennon's brother- in-law.

Mr Ahearne, 37, is accused of passing on the information via another defendant, Anthony Bray, also 37.

Mr Davies, of Oxton, Merseyside, Mr Ahearne, of Oxton, and Mr Bray, of Moreton, Merseyside, are jointly charged with acts intended to pervert the course of public justice. All plead not guilty.

Mr Joyce said of Mr Davies: "Having risen to a senior and very responsible rank, enjoying a particularly responsible job as the crime manager, he did his best to undermine the prosecution of the man who had been charged with the attempted murder of a policeman from his own station and he did it for money."

A sum of pounds 10,000 was allegedly passed to Mr Ahearne by Mr Bray and information from Mr Davies was passed back a few days later.

The case continues.