Police 'inflated crime clear-up figures'

The Greater Manchester Police Force has launched an investigation into allegations that its detectives inflated crime clear-up rates by persuading convicted criminals to admit at least 600 offences they did not commit.

Deputy Chief Constable David McCrone said the investigation, which centres on the Stockport sub-division, was "embarrassing" to senior officers, who had been demanding more accurate national crime figures. While Mr McCrone refused to prejudge the results of the investigation yesterday, crimessuch as fraud against elderly people and burglaries were allegedly attributed to convicts in return for favours.

The suspected scam came to light after force headquarters was impressed by Stockport's 24.7 per cent clear-up rate for burglaries and decided to examine the division in detail, to see what lessons could be learnt. It is alleged, however, that 600 'cleared-up' crimes had never been investigated. When these are discounted the clear-up figure is just 7.6 per cent, taking the division from one of Greater Manchester's best to one of its worst.

One criminal was allegedly allowed to see his new-born child for the first time after unwittingly signing documents in which he admitted many offences. Another man who was on remand accused of five burglaries was taken out of prison for a hamburger and allowed to see his girlfriend. He allegedly ended up admitting more than 200 crimes that he did not commit.

A former Stockport police officer, who did not want to be named, said: "This alleged false practice is an affront to those hard-working officers who did not play the [bogus] game but got no praise."

The investigation will not be concluded until next year.