THE senior police officer accused of leaking information to the Manchester Evening News about the identity of an IRA bomb suspect today(Monday) said the allegations were ''absolutely crazy''.

Gordon Mutch, 51, said he would not have risked either the investigation or his substantial pension in order to give a story to a newspaper.

Mr Mutch is standing trial at Manchester Crown Court for alleged misconduct in a public office by leaking confidential and sensitive information to Steve Panter, an M.E.N. crime reporter at the time. He pleads not guilty.

The prosecution allege he gave the information to Mr Panter during a visit to a hotel in Skipton, Yorkshire.

Mr Mutch today admitted meeting Mr Panter, but said it was to discuss the possibility of writing a book about the Moors Murderers.

Mr Mutch accepted in police interviews that the lack of movement on the investigation into the Manchester bombing had been frustrating for him, but added that every single officer involved in the investigation felt exactly the same. ''But we are professionals and we get on with it,'' he said during interviews.

Speaking from behind a screen so that only the judge, counsel and jury could see him, Mr Mutch added: ''It was a wait-and-see situation and there was nothing final about the investigation.''

He said that after a night of police questions he was upset and ''tearful''.

He added that the story published by the M.E.N. on April 21, 1999, had been ''very detrimental'' to the investigation.

He said he was affronted at suggestions he could have been responsible for the leak.

The court heard that if found guilty Mr Mutch stands to lose his police pension which includes a lump sum payment of just under £100,000 and an annual salary of just under £20,000. Defending, Peter Wright QC asked: ''Were you prepared to jeopardise your pension by the disclosure of information to a reporter?''

Mr Mutch replied: ''Certainly not.

''It was inconceivable that I would have put at risk my whole pension just to give a story to the press.

''It's just crazy, absolutely crazy.''

He accepted he had met Mr Panter at the Hanover Hotel in Skipton on February 3, 1999, two-and-a-half months before the article was printed.

But he denied this was to pass over information about 31-year-old Declan McCann, from South Armagh, who was the chief suspect for the Manchester bombing.

Mr Mutch said: ''The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the viability as to me being involved with an article or book in relation to the Moors inquiry.''

He had been involved with the Moors inquiry since 1987. He had interviewed Myra Hindley and, along with a nine-man team, recovered the remains of Pauline Reade, one of the killers' victims.

Mr Mutch said he had seen every piece of evidence to do with the inquiry including video and audio tapes.

The jury, sitting in court number one at Manchester Crown Court, also heard that Mr Mutch had received three Chief Constable's commendations, a coroner's commendation and a judge's commendation.

In 1992 he received a long-service and good conduct medal.

Mr Mutch was entitled to retire from Greater Manchester Police last September.

Proceeding.

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