Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Bob Quick has accused the Mail on Sunday of “a very spiteful act” after it revealed that a wedding hire firm was being run from his home.
Quick suggested yesterday that the story was planted by a Conservative Party source to “initmidate him away” from his controversial investigation of MP Damian Green.
He has sinced retracted the remark and issued an unreserved apology to the Conservative Party.
The story carried photos of various cars available from the wedding hire business – but did not name it or give away the number plates of any of the cars, but it did reveal that Quick hired out his own 1973 Jenson Interceptor via the business.
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Quick said yesterday that he had been forced to move out of his home amid security fears after the article appeared.
Although the piece did not name the business, which is apparently run by Quick’s wife, there were enough details in the piece for it to be quickly identified using an internet search engine.
Condemning the newspaper report, he said: “I think it is a very spiteful act, possibly to intimidate me away from investigating Mr Green, and I feel it has put my family at risk.
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“It is an attempt to undermine an investigation which is legitimate.”
Quick claimed that the Conservatives were behind the Mail on Sunday article and that its supporters were “mobilised” against his investigation.
Quick also alleged that the “Tory machinery and their press friends” were opposing the inquiry “in a wholly corrupt way”.
In a statement today, Quick retracted his remarks hours after Tory leader David Cameron demanded he withdraw the “completely baseless” allegations.
He said: “I have now reflected on the comments I made yesterday at a difficult time for me and my family.
“I wish to make clear that it was not my intention to make any allegations and retract my comments. I apologise unreservedly for any offence or embarrassment that I have caused.”
As head of the Home Office leaks probe, Quick approved the controversial arrest of Green and the raid on his parliamentary office on 27 November.
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