Evidence from former top auditor at Scotland Yard is delayed after force complaint

SCOTLAND Yard’s former head auditor has had his Leveson Inquiry appearance postponed after the force complained he was being allowed to air “very serious” allegations about top officers in public.

Peter Tickner, who investigated corporate credit card and expenses fraud among Metropolitan Police staff, was told his evidence session scheduled for today has been cancelled.

The move came after a lawyer for the Met objected to claims about senior officers in Mr Tickner’s written statement for the inquiry.

Neil Garnham, QC, also raised concerns about allegations in a statement by Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, who led Scotland Yard’s investigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence.

Mr Tickner, the Met’s director of internal audit from 1995 to 2009, said last night: “As far as I am concerned I didn’t say anything in my statement that the Met did not already know, and what I said is of public interest.”