Soham police officer arrested
A Soham police officer has been arrested over allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Liaison officer Brian Stevens worked with the family of murdered schoolgirl Jessica Chapman.
West Midlands Police arrested the 42-year-old officer at 0600 BST this morning.
The allegations are believed to concern Mr Stevens’ alibi for his recent trial at which he stood accused of child sex and computer porn charges.
A woman named Louise Austin has also reportedly been arrested.
He was cleared of the charges last month when the Crown Prosecution Service dropped its case because key evidence was found to contain “substantial errors”.
In a statement a West Midlands Police spokesman said: “This morning we have arrested a man and a woman from the Cambridge area for offences of perverting the course of justice.
“Those two people will be interviewed during the day and there may be further information later.”
Mr Stevens read a poem at the funeral of schoolfriends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were murdered last year in the Cambridgeshire town.
Shortly after he was arrested and later charged with child sex and pornography crimes.
