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Anti-terror chief in clear over credit card row
Justin Davenport11 May 2009
Scotland Yard's anti-terror chief is expected to be cleared of wrong-doing after an investigation into claims he misused a corporate American Express credit card.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowell was caught up in a wide-ranging inquiry into spending by Met police officers on corporate cards.
Police launched a corruption inquiry last year after auditors found that nearly £2 million worth of expenses claimed by officers was unaccounted for. Since then two officers have admitted misconduct in a public office and a third is awaiting trial on the same charge.
Officers use the cards to pay for items such as hotel bills while travelling outside London and they are supposed to submit a monthly account of their expenditure.
Mr McDowell, who is the national co-ordinator of terrorist investigations, is believed to have used his corporate card to buy £550 worth of clothes, including shirts, while he was working in the north of England on the investigation into the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed at the weekend that it had asked Martin Baker, the chief constable of Dorset, to examine the “possible misuse of corporate credit cards” by Mr McDowell and another senior Met officer.
The IPCC said the investigation was examining the use of his card between March 2006 and July 2007.
The Standard understands that the inquiry which began several months ago has now resolved the issue and Mr McDowell's card spending has been “reconciled.”
The second Met officer facing investigation is Commander Ali Dizaei who is alleged to have used his Amex card to buy £5,000 worth of clothes and perfume while on a trip to the United States.
A review by auditors found that Scotland Yard's system of accounting for expenses was almost non-existent.
So far 35 cases are being investigated though much of the “missing” money is believed to have been due to officers failing to submit receipts.
Colleagues of Mr McDowell insist there was no suggestion that he was involved in impropriety.
The officer, who is fighting a serious long term illness, is one of the Yard's most respected investigators.
“He's a very busy man and probably just failed to fill in all the paperwork properly.” one said.
