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Court drama over ‘secret’ file

A SECRET file on a former head of security for the Royal household has been impounded by a court following the intervention of a judge.
District Judge Quentin Purdy took the decision before barristers for Westminster Council began to query the service record of expert witness David Davis, a retired superintendent.
Council lawyers produced the file – a standard employee file kept by the Metropolitan Police while Mr Davis was a serving officer – just before lunch on Friday. Mr Davis, was at Horseferry Road Magistrates’ Court on Friday appearing as a witness for Cirque at the Hippodrome, in Leicester Square, which is appealing against the council’s decision to refuse the conversion of its licence – required under the new Licensing Act.
The club was forced to close last week as the judge has yet to reach a verdict, costing tens of thousands of pounds of business and threatening corporate Christmas bookings. For the club to remain operating it needed to have secured a successful outcome to the case before the new Licensing Act regime began on November 24.
But club bosses are hopeful that it will win its appeal on Monday.
Mr Davis had given evidence claiming the police could do more to improve Cirque’s security and reduce violence.
He said: “Looking at the evidence, there are about 20 to 30 recommendations both for the club, council and police, that I would humbly offer to my colleagues.”
But David Matthias, appearing for the council, accused Mr Davis of “exaggerating his service pedigree”. To prove his claim, Mr Matthias hoped to rely on the personal file – marked ‘Destroy 2012’ – but Judge Purdy demanded to know who had released the file and ruled it inadmissible.
Mr Matthias told the court: “The disclosure of this personal file was authorised by Commander Chris Allison.”
Judge Purdy said: “I am troubled by this. It is not an appropriate way of dealing with things.
“The file is in the safe marked not to be opened.”
Mr Davis told the court that he would be making an official complaint to the police.
He was unavailable for further comment yesterday (Thursday). The council refused Cirque’s application following advice from the police that violence connected to the club was beyond police control.
The case continues on Monday.



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