Former policeman Ivan Portelli, one of three officers dismissed nine years ago on grounds of bad conduct, had not been subjected to telephone tapping, as implied in the article which appeared yesterday under the heading Police Believe Ex-Officer Helped organise Hold-ups.

Mr Portelli, together with Michael Buttigieg and David Gatt had instituted legal action against the government and the Commissioner of Police claiming they had been unfairly dismissed. Last September, the court ruled their rights had been breached because they were not informed of proceedings against them before the Public Service Commission or given the opportunity to defend themselves.

However, the police and the government maintained their position, partly on the strength of recordings of phone conversations allegedly between Mr Buttigieg and Dr Gatt (the ex-officer graduated as a lawyer after he was dismissed) and criminals. Transcripts of such conversations were produced in court but were declared inadmissible as evidence because a warrant had not been issued.

It was pointed out to The Times yesterday the transcripts did not refer to Mr Portelli. The police had claimed Mr Portelli had been seen on a criminal’s yacht without authorisation. He had argued he had gone there on his off day to meet an informant.

Dr Gatt is facing charges of complicity in a string of heists over the past three years.