NI burglar 'is Met officer'

The constable has been suspended pending an investigation

A man from Northern Ireland convicted for burglary, assault and car crime has been serving as a police officer in the Metropolitan Police for the past three years, it has emerged.

The man was convicted of the offences between 1985 and 1990 by the Northern Ireland courts.

He applied for the job with the Metropolitan Police in London before they had a central vetting unit.

They asked the police in Northern Ireland to carry out a background check on him.

The man is understood to have admitted in his application he had a conviction for assault, but it was considered so minor that he was allowed in.

However, the man did not disclose his convictions for burglary and car crime and the police failed to find them when doing their checks.

The constable has been suspended from his job pending an investigation.