Journalist and former MP Fiona Jones has spoken about her anger and disappointment over the news that disciplinary hearings in which four Nottinghamshire police officers face serious charges have been delayed for a further six months.

Fiona, elected MP for Newark in 1997, was convicted of making a false election expenses declaration, stripped of her seat, cleared on appeal and reinstated to the House of Commons. She lost her seat at the next General Election in the aftermath of the expenses investigation.

Then last year, four police officers who investigated her election expenses were all charged with alleged failures of duty and face disciplinary action.

She claimed at the time that the police had failed to act impartially or professionally during the probe. Four other officers were reprimanded or "advised" over their conduct in the matter.

But Fiona, formerly of the Lincolnshire Echo and Lincolnshire Standard Group, said: "Four years have now elapsed and we seem no nearer to resolving this matter.

"The hearings were due to start this week and last for the whole month. I understand this latest delay is because legal representatives of the officers were not ready to put their case. The date for these hearings was set almost nine months ago and it is difficult to see why a defence could not have been prepared with that amount of notice.

"A number of officers have already been disciplined as a result of my complaint and some involved have taken early retirement thus avoiding action being taken against them. I have written to the chief constable asking for his assurance that none of the officers currently facing these serious charges will retire before the hearings.

"In the meantime these officers are allowed to continue their duties making decisions that affect the lives of people in Nottinghamshire."

Fiona has maintained that the actions of Nottinghamshire Police caused her to lose her parliamentary seat, against the national trend to the Conservatives, and that the further delay in finally settling the matter is detrimental to her.

She said: "It is difficult for me to get on with my life and career while this situation remains unresolved. I cannot think of any other organisation that would behave in the way the police service do in relation to disciplinary matters.

"When the matter is finally resolved I will be asking the Home Secretary to look into the conduct of the investigation from start to finish."

The hearings are now scheduled for January 2004.

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