Wallasey police inspector suspended and under investigation over alleged help to Wirral criminal’s brother for taxi licence

Mar 5 2012 by Ben Rossington, Liverpool Echo

A MERSEYSIDE police inspector is suspended and under investigation for allegedly helping the brother of a well-known local career criminal get a job as a taxi driver.

Insp Phil Leech, who works out of Wallasey police station, was suspended from duty over allegations he stepped in to help Michael Maguire, the younger brother of jailed hardman Matty, in his application for a taxi licence from Wirral council.

It is believed Insp Leech may have known the Maguires for some time and was working out with them in the same gym.

The investigation is an internal one at the moment, with Wirral council saying they were unaware of any alleged impropriety, but would co-operate if the police came to them.

Detectives are now understood to be scrutinising Insp Leech’s mobile phone records and what involvement, if any, the officer had in Michael Maguire being given a licence.

The ECHO understands police have even made attempts to speak to Matty Maguire in prison over the matter.

After being sentenced to 11 years last month, 37-year-old Maguire, from Prenton, is being held outside of Merseyside because of threats from rival crooks.

The latest on his long list of convictions saw him caught in a police sting as he organised the transfer and payment for 150kgs of cannabis.

Police targeted Maguire and bugged his car to listen in on conversations between him and his associates.