TOP POLICE CHIEF RESIGNS IN CORPORATION HACKING SCANDAL

SIR  IAN  ANDREWS

Due to the alleged phone hacking scandal of journalists and newspaper it emerged that big corporation like insurance, finance and lawyers were using private investigators which do not always use legal method to get information.

Top police official at the centre of the corporation hacking scandal was forced to resign because he has link to a big investigations company.  Sir Ian Andrews’ wife Moira is head lawyer at international security firm Good Governance Group.  Furthermore the Serious Organised Crime Agency chairman made public Sir Ian was a director of Abis Partnership, a legal and management consultancy they own together.  This non-disclosure does not give great credibility to the Serious Organisation Crime Agency open and honest work.

Sir Ian has therefore committed a major potential conflict of interest. He was already under great pressure because he refused to make 102 big-name companies and celebrities public. They are guilty of using dodgy private investigators. MPs who were demanding the release of these 102 names are hoping now, after the resignation of Sir Ian, it will be done by the new police chief.

The Home Affairs Select Committee demands further an explanation why SOCA kept the list of blue-chip firms for five years without any investigation and at the same time crucifying newspaper and journalists for hacking.

Sir Ian stated that he was always avoiding any conflicts of interests throughout his 40 years of public service. He admits it is inexcusable.  SOCA and the Home Office stated that Sir Ian resignation had nothing to do with the hacking controversy.

Since Sir Ian was the chairman of Serious Organised Crime Agency since 2009 forgive me for saying it is incredible he was not aware that he preached serious Whitehall rules.  He surely was aware that SOCA code demands that all directors’ interests are declared. In not doing so and having to resign on this ground only he gave SOCA a bad name. An organisation purposely established to investigate Serious Organised Crime and yet the top police chief is a director of Abis Partnership, a legal and management consultancy. 

So far the Laws is the moment police officers resign or retire they cannot be held responsible for the crime or wrong doing they committed.  This is most properly also the reason why Sir Ian resigns so suddenly.