The case against a counter terrorism officer accused of defrauding the Metropolitan police while investigating the July 7 bombings collapsed today after a judge ruled there was a lack of evidence against him.
Detective Sergeant Peter Allbut, 45, was charged with fraudulently paying £9,200 into his personal bank account, a jury at London's Southwark Crown Court was told earlier this week.
Mr Allbut, from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, was one of a number of officers deployed to Leeds following the terrorist attacks on London in 2005.
The court was told the officers had been posted in hotels initially but as accommodation costs mounted they were moved to rented accommodation.
Allbut was one of a number of officers entitled to withdraw cash on an American Express card to pay the monthly rent bills for the Leeds accommodation.
Paul Watson QC, prosecuting, had alleged Allbut took advantage of this access and instead deposited sums of money into his own account on three occasions.
He claimed the officer had fraudulently withdrawn £2,200, £4,000 and £3,000 between February and May 2007.
The Independent
