MIRROR 'CANNABIS' JOURNALIST ARRESTED

The Mirror reported that Dawn Alford was sold cannabis by the son of a
Cabinet Minister

The Mirror reporter who said she was sold cannabis by the son of a Cabinet
Minister has been arrested by police.

Dawn Alford was arrested after voluntarily attending a London police
station with senior features writer Tanith Carey and a legal representative
of the newspaper. She was later released.

The newspaper said that Ms Alford was given police bail after being
arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said later: "A 30-year-old woman was arrested in
connection with the possession of cannabis. She was bailed to return on a
date in February 1998."

The Mirror reported on Christmas Eve that Ms Alford had been sold just
under two grammes of cannabis resin in a London pub by a Minister's son.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was taken to a police
station by the Minister, who was told by the newspaper what had happened.

The youth was arrested and released on police bail.

Police are currently preparing a file for the Crown Prosecution Service
which is expected to decide early in the New Year whether to press charges.