YARD HOLDS TALKS ON GAY OFFICER IN CANNABIS ROW

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 will 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.

A criminal investigation over the cannabis allegations would be carried out
by Scotland Yard's anti-corruption unit like any other case. If Mr Paddick
had breached disciplinary codes, the inquiry would have to be sanctioned by
the police authority. He could, for example, be accused of bringing the
police into disrepute or failing to carry out his duties.

Mr Renolleau, a former cashier with Westminster Abbey, claimed that Mr
Paddick had smoked cannabis hundreds of times and allowed the drug to be
stored in his flat. He also claimed that the commander boasted of a
promiscuous sex life before they met, including having had sex on the
Gatwick Express and under a pier.

He claimed that Mr Paddick broke police rules by not telling his bosses
that when they met, Mr Renolleau was on bail. Mr Renolleau was later
cleared of stealing cash and keepsakes from his former partner, who was dying.

Mr Paddick vehemently denied the allegations about sex and cannabis
yesterday. He said: "I have never smoked cannabis, ever."