GAY POLICE CHIEF FACES SEX AND DRUGS INQUIRY

TOP-LEVEL talks on the future of the Scotland Yard commander at the centre
of gay sex and drugs allegations will be held today.

A week after Commander Brian Paddick, who heads 800 police in Lambeth, South
London, was carpeted over comments he made on a radical website about
anarchism, his former lover claimed in a Sunday newspaper that he had
regularly smoked cannabis.

James Renolleau, who was Mr Paddick's partner for five years, also accused
him of frequent casual gay sex encounters, visiting gay saunas and beginning
an affair with him when he was on bail over alleged fraud.

Yesterday Mr Paddick, who is open about his sexuality and is piloting a
liberal approach to cannabis possession in Lambeth, denied smoking cannabis,
but acknowledged that he had tolerated his boyfriend's use of the drug.

Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and Lord Harris
of Haringey, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, will discuss
today what to do about the allegations and Mr Paddick's response.

In a statement yesterday the authority said that the article and any other
material would be studied. Sir John and Lord Harris would then decide
whether an inquiry should be held.

Scotland Yard sources said yesterday that Sir John and Lord Harris faced a
dilemma. The allegations came after a relationship ended acrimoniously and
the only witnesses to the alleged drug-taking appear to be the men
themselves. Mr Renolleau sold his story and is reported to have left Britain