Met Police find "no credible evidence of criminality" in Tower Hamlets files

The Metropolitan Police has found “no credible evidence of criminality” within files it received about the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to provide reasonable grounds to suspect that fraud or any other offence has been committed at this stage.

The police were given three files of material on 4 April by the Department of Communities and Local Government. The material had been handed to the DCLG by a member of the public and the BBC’s Panorama programme.

The Met Police said: “

The files have been reviewed by a team of officers over the past six days. In addition, officers have liaised with Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP (PwC) who are conducting a full and wide-ranging audit of financial matters at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.”

With its review finding no evidence of criminality, it said it would “not be investigating at this point in time and believe that it is appropriate for the material to be reviewed further by PwC and DCLG”.

The Met Police added: “We will continue to liaise with them should their audit uncover any evidence of criminality.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “The news from the Metropolitan Police is to be welcomed and Tower Hamlets will continue to work with the Auditors and DCLG."

The Met Police later issued a clarification saying that prior to this, a report had been made to Tower Hamlets Police on 20 March by Tower Hamlets Council – following an internal review – relating to money awarded to one body. This investigation is being carried out by Tower Hamlets CID.

“Therefore there are no new MPS investigations being carried out by the MPS as a result of information contained in the three files of material,” the Met Police said.

A spokesman for Tower Hamlets told the East London Advertiser that it had itself referred the case as part of its procedure of assuring its grants. The action had been taken before the Panorama programme, he added.