Police clerk accused of 'leak'

It is claimed Mr Bolton wrote the address on the envelope sent to Dee News

A North Wales Police Authority official has appeared in court accused of leaking a confidential document to the press.

Assistant clerk Peter Bolton, a former chief superintendent, was suspended last year.

It is alleged he sent a confidential report on bullying allegations against deputy chief constable Bill Brereton to the media.

Mr Bolton has denied the charge of wilful misconduct in a public office.

It was alleged at Chester Crown Court on Monday that he posted the document to Dee News Service, a press agency based in Mold, north Wales, in January last year.

Confidential report

The document alleged that deputy chief constable Bill Brereton had bullied female members of staff within the force.

The document was part of a confidential report presented to a meeting of the North Wales Police Authority's professional standards committee, which deals with complaints against senior officers.

However, Chester Crown Court heard that the allegations listed in the document, of which only 25 copies were made, appeared in the press on 21 January - the same day as the meeting.

Mr Brereton, who has since retired, had been a policeman for 30 years

Thomas Eaton, prosecuting, said: "In late December 2003, Kelvin Dent, clerk to the Police Authority, became aware that serious complaints had been made by other members of staff about the behaviour of deputy chief constable Bill Brereton.

"It fell to Kelvin Dent, in his role as clerk to the Police Authority, to prepare a report for the professional standards committee," he said.

"It is the text of that report that was leaked to the press."

Mr Eaton said that three formal written complaints had been made about the conduct of Mr Brereton.

He said: "The complaints were made by female police staff members who worked closely with Bill Brereton.

"The complaints alleged bullying and overbearing behaviour. If proven they would have shown that Bill Brereton's conduct did not meet the appropriate standard."

The court heard that only a limited number of people had access to the report and could have leaked it to the press.

Mr Eaton said that the address on the envelope in which the report arrived at Dee News Service on 20 January had been written by Mr Bolton and this proved he leaked the report.

The case is continuing and is expected to last five days.