John Jones trial: Detective tells of lack of judgment
Nov 12 2008 The Journal
A DETECTIVE accused of corruption told a court his trip to London with gangster Allan Foster was a big mistake, reflecting poor judgment on his part.
But John Jones denied he took cocaine, had a sexual encounter with an escort girl or received any gifts from the 32-year-old drug baron during the April 2006 visit.
“I feel highly embarrassed by the whole scene,” Jones, 48, told Newcastle Crown Court yesterday.
“I put myself in a position which I should never have done. I made a mistake, a big mistake.
“My judgment was poor in hindsight. The only thing I can say is at the time I thought he was finished with criminality, but it is still a big mistake I’ve made.
“Since being in this court over the last seven weeks and hearing the evidence of everybody, I believe I was being set up by Allan Foster, but I am not blaming anyone else. I put myself in that position.”
Jones had been attached to the Northumbria Police Crime Operations Department when he recruited Foster as a police informer before passing him on to the National Crime Squad.
Prosecutors allege he was paid £2,000 a week by Foster to feed him confidential information from the police intelligence files.
But Jones told the court he had never received any gifts or cash from Foster and said the only time they had socialised together outside the gym they both attended was during the London visit.
Recalling the trip, the former plumbing and heating engineer said he had agreed to give Foster advice on plumbing problems he had at a house he was renting in South Kensington.
He said he travelled there by train alone, meeting up with Foster in the city and visiting the Prada designer clothes shop where Foster wanted to buy a raincoat.
The married father-of-two said he and Foster – whom he accepted he liked – later visited the mews in South Kensington where he spent more than an hour looking at the plumbing problem.
He said he and Foster had gone on to enjoy a drunken night out and on returning to the house three escort girls had arrived, although he had played no part in arranging their visit.
“Foster went upstairs with one of the women,” Jones said. “I remained downstairs for about 10 to 15 minutes, then said I needed to go upstairs and sort my bag out for the morning.
“I went upstairs and one of the females came into the bedroom and made no bones about what was going to happen.
“The words I used were, ‘Look pet, I don’t mean to be rude but I really don’t want to do this, it’s not my scene. I have been drinking and don’t feel well’.”
Jones said the call girl told him she still wanted £200 and he turned out his pockets but found he had only £40, having spent the better part of £200 on the night out.
Asked if he had seen any cocaine that night, Jones said: “Certainly not. I am totally anti-drugs. I have never taken drugs in my life. I certainly wasn’t offered any. I didn’t see any.”
Jones had earlier told the court how he believed Foster was a reformed man who had turned his back on crime. “He came across to me, whether it’s my naivety or not, as a genuine person who wanted to get on with his life and be free from criminality,” he said.
Jurors were also told how since joining the police force in 1992, Jones had forged an exemplary career, winning praise for his tenacious, expeditious attitude and professionalism.
Jones denies misconduct in public office. Gym owner Bruce McCall, 42, of Cornelia Terrace, Seaham, County Durham, denies aiding and abetting Jones’s alleged misconduct and Class C drug offences. The trial continues today.
