Official suspended over Home Office criminal row
Pressure is growing on home secretary John Reid
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Sunday, 14, Jan 2007 08:09
An official at the Home Office has been suspended following the disclosure that the department had failed to update criminal databases with the details of Britons convicted overseas.
The unnamed civil servant has been suspended pending an internal investigation after new evidence was brought to light.
A spokeswoman at the government department revealed today: "An official at the Home Office has volunteered evidence in the last 48 hours which warrants further investigation.
"In the meantime this official has been suspended pending further inquiries."
Home secretary John Reid admitted last week that 27,500 offences committed by Britons abroad had been left in desk files rather than being entered onto police records.
Of this total, 540 are for serious or violent offences, although at the present it is unclear whether any of these criminals have gone on to reoffend or find work with children or vulnerable adults.
In response to the latest failings of his department, which he himself described as "not fit for purpose" last year, Mr Reid has implemented a-reaching review of the country's criminal database system.