Ryan's Reformer Charged In Britain
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday February 20, 2002
A British policeman, recruited by Commissioner Peter Ryan to lead a reform unit in NSW but sacked amid an investigation, has been charged with fraud in Britain .
Chief Inspector Ken Seddon, 47, who was given the nominal rank of superintendent when he was recruited for a two-year posting to NSW in 1998, will face a Manchester court in April.
He tendered his resignation to the chief constable of the Greater Manchester Police Authority on February 1.
He was to have faced the chief constable last Friday amid an internal affairs investigation into alleged fraud committed in a police-funded car loan scheme to officers in that police area.
An authority spokesman has confirmed that Seddon has been charged with four counts of loan fraud.
Seddon was the head of the NSW Police Crime Management Reform Unit. The unit's disband-ment by Mr Ryan in January last year is now the subject of a Police Integrity Commission inquiry.
Seddon resumed his former rank on his return to Britain in August last year after giving evidence to the PIC inquiry into allegations that senior NSW police tried to undermine the reform process.
He was suspended from duty on October 17 on suspicion of conspiracy to obtain money by deception.
On January 8, he was arrested and interviewed over four car loans obtained through the authority's loan scheme in 1993, 1995 and 1998.
He was subsequently charged in relation to these alleged loans. British police allege he used false documents to obtain the loans.
He has been bailed to appear in court on April 2.
His wife, Pamela, and a car dealer have also been charged in relation to the alleged fraud. They have been bailed to appear in the same court on the same day.
A police spokesman said the NSW Police Service had been advised by the Greater Manchester Police Authority of the action against Seddon and his resignation.
Mr Ryan was back at work yesterday after attending the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
© 2002 Sydney Morning Herald