Arrest in murder case probe

Special operations police officers leave the Clifford Street offices of Trevor Cox & Co

The arrest came just hours after more than a dozen officers from Humberside police raided a solicitor's premises in Clifford Street, York, and removed files.

The officers swooped on the offices of Trevor Cox & Co at around 10am yesterday.

Detectives left more than four hours later with a large number of files and documents relating to a murder case in which Mr Cox's firm had been involved.

The arrested man, whom police have declined to identify but have stated is NOT Mr Cox, was questioned overnight at Beverley police station before being released early today on police bail pending further police inquiries.

Insp Steve Page, of Humberside police, said: "Officers executed a warrant at premises in York as part of an operation investigating an allegation of attempting to pervert the course of justice before and during a murder trial."

Det Supt Ken Bates, who led yesterday's operation, was also the senior investigating officer during the 1997 murder trial to which the allegations of perverting the course of justice referred.

He told the Evening Press that the trial at Nottingham Crown Court involved three men charged with the murder of a man in Grimsby.

Mr Bates said: "It was a very celebrated case at the time, and the current allegations relate to criminal malpractice during that trial."

Mr Bates said yesterday's raid and arrest were the result of a two-year investigation.

"We were very specific about the files taken as our warrant only allowed us to seize those relating to the murder case."

He declined to elaborate on any connection between the raid and the arrest, but said: "The man was taken into custody as a result of inquiries made over the last two years."

Mr Cox, who is chairman of York Wasps Rugby League Club. today declined to comment.

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