Brian Paddick.

Commenting this morning on reports that the Crown Prosecution Service and Met Police paid a family more than £600,000 in damages and costs after a child witness was put at risk, London Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick said:

“Not only did the police break a promise to keep the identity of this vulnerable witness secret, but they also denied his details had been passed to the violent gang he was giving evidence against, despite the witness being threatened and intimidated.  

“It has taken nearly four years after the case was settled, and only after a fight with the authorities, before this story was made public. There is an unhealthy culture of cover-up rather than own-up in the Metropolitan Police that has to change.

“We must be able to have trust and confidence in the police. Unless the public and the police stand together against the criminals, we are in real trouble. The Metropolitan Police must make radical changes to reassure Londoners that they really are on our side.”