Police chief knew key witness in court case that fell apart
FOR the past six years DCI Leanne Pook has fronted Avon and Somerset Police’s efforts to combat FGM. She led the investigation that ended with a taxi driver being prosecuted for child cruelty to his daughter and took key witness Sami Ullah’s statement.
However, it has emerged that DCI Pook, 46, is a trustee of Integrate UK, the antiFGM charity Mr Ullah was working for, and has known him personally for several years. She has described him online as a ‘lovely fella’, ‘the greatest’ and ‘a champion’.
Two weeks after the unidentified Somali taxi driver was charged in June last year, Mr Ullah’s charity is said to have sent DCI Pook a large chocolate cake to say thank you. She posted a photo on Twitter with the caption: ‘From our gorgeous friends @_IntegrateUK who want to say thanks to the cops.’
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed DCI Pook took Mr Ullah’s initial statement and was the senior investigating officer.
Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger told The Mail on Sunday that letting the detective head the case involving a friend was a ‘total conflict of interest’.