COP ACCOUNTANT FLEECE

ANTHONY Williams virtually owned a Scottish village – but the cash to buy it came straight out of the coffers of Scotland Yard.

Long after he swapped the bar of the Gordon Hotel for a prison cell, the locals still raised an occasional glass “to the Laird of Tomintoul”. After all, he improved the Scottish village, renovated the hotel, backed local businesses and supported social activities such as the Tomintoul Highland Games.

The “Laird”, however, was no aristocrat. Anthony Williams was a softly spoken phoney who milked his employers of millions to fund the village’s regeneration – and his own lavish lifestyle. But when the law finally caught up with him, celebrations at Scotland Yard were decidedly muted.

For the villain that the Met Police fraud-busters had nabbed was one of their own. Williams was deputy director of finance – at Scotland Yard.

During 12 years of lies, deception and theft, he had filched £5million of funds that should have been spent on police undercover operations.

The most embarrassing “inside job” ever began with a £200 theft from the police welfare fund in 1981. Having succeeded so easily, the mild-mannered accountant siphoned off another £7,000.

Williams opened an account at upper-crust bank Coutts, told them of an “inheritance from an uncle in Norway” and got a £30,000 overdraft.

In 1986 he struck gold. As Scotland Yard’s deputy finance director, he was put in charge of a secret fund to fight organised crime, including an anti-terrorist surveillance aircraft.

At a time of heightened IRA alert, few concerns were raised over the plane’s costs. Over eight years, Williams requisitioned £7million – with only around £2million actually being spent.

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