Milly Dowler leak claim inquiry

12 August 2011 Last updated at 12:04 ET

Milly disappeared as she walked home from school in Walton-on-Thames

The police watchdog is investigating a claim that an officer on the Milly Dowler murder case gave information to the News of the World newspaper.

The allegation against the Surrey Police officer is from 2002. Last month it emerged the same officer had been taken off the Dowler case in 2002 for discussing it with a friend.

In June it was discovered Milly’s phone had been hacked by the newspaper.

The 13-year-old was murdered by doorman Levi Bellfield in 2002.

The police watchdog – the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) – is offering to meet the Dowler family to offer them further details of the latest allegation.

Surrey Police said three weeks ago that there was no suggestion of any officer having shared information about the Dowler case with the News of the World.

The force said then that an unnamed officer was given “words of advice” and permanently taken off the investigation in 2002 after telling a friend – a retired police officer – about the case.

But the BBC understands that the unnamed officer referred to in July is the same one now being investigated by the IPCC over an allegation that information was passed to the newspaper.

Surrey Police are refusing to comment now that the matter is in the hands of the IPCC.

Mark Lewis, the Dowler’s solicitor, said: “The Dowler family welcome the full investigation into what happened at the time of the initial inquiry into Milly’s disappearance.

“It would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this stage.”

A News International spokesman said the company would not be commenting.

The schoolgirl disappeared while walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

Bellfield was convicted of her murder in June 2011.

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