SFO interviews Leeson

The former Barings trader Nick Leeson met British investigators for the first time yesterday to explain his role in the collapse of the merchant bank and plead that the British authorities should seek his extradition. An accountant from the Serious Fraud Office, Michael O'Brien Kenney, and two City of London police officers met Mr Leeson at the prison in Frankfurt where he has been held since 2 March.

The German prosecutor presiding over the argument about whether Mr Leeson should be extradited instead to Singapore said yesterday that Mr Leeson could get a fair trial there. The SFO also says that Mr Leeson ought to be tried in Singapore, but recently agreed to interview him, having made it clear that they will only seek Mr Leeson's extradition to England if the Singapore authorities fail to extradite him there.