Police worker held over 'missing pounds 4m'

DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance of more than pounds 4m from Metropolitan Police funds have arrested a police accountant, it was reported last night.

The Daily Mirror claimed that the 56- year-old civilian worker owned a string of properties in the Scottish Highlands.

Scotland Yard confirmed last night that a member of the force's civilian staff had been suspended last month. 'A man was arrested and bailed to a later date,' a spokesman said. 'The Metropolitan Police Fraud Squad are carrying out an inquiry.' He refused to confirm the amount of money involved.

The newspaper claimed the accountant worked in a department dealing with all aspects of the yard's pounds 200m annual budget and that his responsibilities included the Fraud Squad's finances. The man's properties, it alleged, included a manor house, a rectory, a pub, a hotel and a restaurant.

The inquiry was said to have been launched after finance department managers noticed discrepancies.