POLICE CHIEF IN CANNABIS PROBE

Police are investigating claims that controversial police commander Brian
Paddick shared at least 100 cannabis joints with his gay lover in their
London flat.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "We are unable to comment until our
investigations have been carried out."

But he added: "If a senior police officer was found to be taking illegal
substances they would be on the way to losing their job."

James Renolleau, Cdr Paddick's former partner, told the Mail on Sunday: "I
smoked cannabis with Brian more than 100 times. The first time he asked to
have a puff, I was shocked - he was a policeman after all."

In response to the claims, Cdr Paddick, 43, told the paper: "I totally deny
having smoked cannabis. On a couple of occasions James purchased some
cannabis while we were living together and smoked it in front of me. I
argued with him about the implications for me being in the same place while
he was doing this"