Police officer faces trial over stolen terror files
A SENIOR police officer will appear in court next month after confidential documents were stolen from his car.
Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale was head of the West Midlands Police Counter Terrorism Unit when the ‘sensitive’ paperwork was taken from his locked unmarked police car in May.
He has been suspended from duty and summonsed to appear before Westminster magistrates next month. It is likely he will be charged under the Official Secrets Act for ‘failure to safeguard’ the papers.
The papers were kept in a locked metal box in the boot and were taken along with personal items.
At the time of the theft, Mr Beale was also responsible for equality, diversity, and human rights, and health and safety at the West Midlands force.
The potential breach may have jeopardised his high-level security status, meaning he could not continue leading the force’s security and anti-terror portfolio.
He was moved to the force’s operations division in what was called a ‘reshuffle’ the following month.
The Metropolitan Police was brought in to investigate any potential ‘criminal liabilities’ resulting from the incident. West
‘Significant mainland terrorist plots’
Midlands Police has declined to reveal where the theft took place, or whether any police investigations or operations were compromised or cancelled as a result.
The force website reveals Mr Beale had significant command responsibilities for counter terror unit operations.
It says: ‘These operations have disrupted some of the most significant UK mainland terrorist plots in recent years including the London Stock Exchange plot in 2010, the foiled suicide attack plan in 2011, and the failed attack on the Dewsbury English Defence League in 2012.’
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘The Met’s Specialist Operations Directorate has national responsibilities in relation to offences under the Official Secrets Act and it was deemed more appropriate for an outside force, independent of the officer, to investigate. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards is also investigating.’
Mr Beale is due to appear in court on December 7.