Legal News
Failings identified in police handling of Tower Hamlets fraud allegations during 2014 Mayoral election (13 March 2017)
Date: 13/03/2017
The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee has published its findings and recommendations regarding allegations of fraud and malpractice in Tower Hamlets before and during the 2014 Mayoral election.
The letter to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime recommends that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) investigate the Metropolitan Police role in matters relating to the 2014 Mayoral Election in Tower Hamlets, as well as the findings of the Election Court judgment in 2015 and associated investigations thereafter.
The committee found that the investigations that did take place were not undertaken to the highest possible standards, with the Met missing pieces of evidence. A bundle of 27 files sent to the Director of Public Prosecution was not reviewed by the Met and evidence of criminal wrongdoing and expeditious investigative work could have generated sufficient evidence to seek a criminal prosecution.
Chair of the Police and Crime Committee, Steve O’Connell AM, said:
“During our investigation, we as a committee have been shocked to uncover major failings by the Metropolitan Police in its ability to investigate allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice: missed files of evidence, missed opportunities to gather witness statements, witnesses who were prepared to give evidence in the Election Court, but were unwilling to do so in criminal proceedings – this is not what we expect from a supposedly world-leading police force.
“We urge the Deputy Mayor to use her powers to press for HMIC to take the matter further, with the aim that eventually we can assure Londoners – and particularly residents in Tower Hamlets – that justice has been done.”
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