Operation Elveden: Former Met officer arrested

A former police officer who served in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Specialist Operations command has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, and bailed "pending further inquiries".

The arrest was made earlier today (Thursday 3 May) by officers from Operation Elveden, the investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments to police and public officials, which is being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

According to a statement from the MPS a "57-year-old man ['Elveden arrest 27'] was arrested at his home address on suspicion of misconduct in a public office".

"He previously served in the MPS Specialist Operations command, based in central London, and retired several years ago," the statement adds.

"He is currently being questioned at a south west London police station and his home address is being searched." The man was later bailed to a date in August "pending further inquiries".

Scotland Yard also confirmed that the arrest was "the result of information provided to police by News Corporation's Management Standards Committee".

"It relates to suspected payments to a former police officer and is not about seeking journalists to reveal confidential sources in relation to information that has been obtained legitimately."

Article updated at 7.15pm, Thursday 3 May

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