Operation Elveden is the Metropolitan Police investigation into corruption primarily between the press and the police. It is a spin-off of Operation Weeting and is under the overall supervision of the IPCC working with the Crown Prosecution Service.
So far over 60 people have been arrested and have been on bail for lengthy periods, 12 of whom are now facing charges. This is an operation costing anything from £4.5 million to £5 million per annum.
However it’s the more recent developments which are causing us, as defence lawyers, great concern.
There are stories of journalists under surveillance. Journalists such as the Deputy Editor of the Sun, Geoff Webster, are in court today who have not been given full details of the allegations against them. The arrests of senior (former or otherwise) Police officers accused of giving information to the press where no money has change hands at all, such as the arrest of Frank Armstrong, former Assistant Chief Constable of City of London Police, apparently authorised by the IPCC with the involvement of the CPS (which the CPS denies).
There are already deeply disturbing after-effects of this Operation, journalists complain that they are unable to access informal information from police, whistle blowers within the police (and indeed in other public sector organisations) are too frightened to speak to the press because of fear of arrest.
Is this Operation out of control? Is it a question of poor management? Should the IPCC really be in overall control? This is an organisation with a poor track record and is under resourced as it is; one wonders whether they really have the expertise to manage such a large and important investigative operation.
Siobhain Egan is advising a former News of the World journalist who is on bail as a result of Operation Elveden.
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