DETECTIVE 'BECAME INFORMANT'S LOVER IN DRUG OPERATION'

A detective abused his position as the handler of a woman drugs dealer
by becoming her lover and stealing and selling drugs seized in
operations based on her information, the Old Bailey was told yesterday.

Det Con Robert Clark, who controlled Evelyn Fleckney as a registered
informant, passed the drugs back to her for "recycling" at a profit,
Orlando Pownall, prosecuting, said. At times he took a share of money
she received for informing.

Fleckney became pregnant by 37-year-old Clark and had an abortion, the
court was told. Mr Pownall said that Clark told a "pack of lies" in
denying their sexual relationship when he was called as a witness in a
drugs trial she faced last year.

The truth, he suggested, was that Clark and Fleckney - who was known
under the informant pseudonyms "Pauline Collins" and "Jack Higgins" -
conducted meetings and activities not authorised under the rules for
police informant handling. Clark used the name "Bart Simpson" in
dealing with her and she attended police functions to celebrate the
"so-called success" of operations arising from her
information.

Clark was allegedly joined in corruption by Christopher Drury, 37, a
detective constable, while both served in the No 9 regional crime
squad, based at East Dulwich in south London, between 1991 and 1995.
The pair, with two other officers, "succumbed to the temptation of
financial gain", a temptation made greater because those they stole
from were hardly likely to complain, Mr Pownall said.

The jury will hear evidence about the pair from Fleckney and Det Con
Neil Putnam, who has admitted corruption. Fleckney is serving a
15-year jail term imposed in March last year after being convicted of
trafficking in ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis. Putnam, who with
Fleckney has since pleaded guilty to "a considerable number of
offences", was also a member of the squad.

Mr Pownall warned the jury that it would have to approach the evidence
of Putnam and Fleckney with enormous care, as both had reason to lie,
hoping that their evidence might help reduce their sentences. The
drug-related activities of Clark and Drury, who allegedly involved two
older officers, Roger Pearce, 52, and Peter Lawson, 53, to a limited
extent, "had the effect of returning to the streets the very drugs
they were entrusted to seize", Mr Pownall said.

Clark, Drury and Lawson are all suspended from duty. Pearce has
retired. They variously deny charges on a 13-count indictment which
includes allegations of conspiracy to supply drugs, perverting the
course of justice and corruption.

The case continues.