Former officer faces drug charges

A former officer with the Metropolitan Police has been accused of stealing cannabis from a police station.

Paul Smith, 33, has been charged with 15 counts of theft of cannabis from Holborn police station, central London.

The former constable faces a further charge of possession of class C drug cannabis, a police spokesman said.

Mr Smith was arrested on 5 January on suspicion of the drug offences. He subsequently resigned from the force on 21 February, the spokesman said.

He will appear on bail at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.