Archer acted as 'prison grass'
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Jeffrey Archer was acting as a prison "grass" in return for material for his next novel when he was caught lunching a prison security chief and a female police officer at an Italian restaurant.
Lincolnshire police were still carrying out an investigation today into why Karen Brookes, a police liaison officer, met the millionaire author. Paul Hocking has resigned from his job as head of security at North Sea Camp prison, where Archer was an inmate.
Mr Hocking denied any wrongdoing yesterday and said he had resigned for health reasons after being off work sick for four weeks.
However, senior prison sources said they understood that Archer had been involved in setting up the lunch at Zucchini's restaurant and pizzeria in Lincoln to gather inside "intelligence" from the pair and, in return, act as an informant on drug-dealing at North Sea Camp.
"The reason for the lunch was Archer was providing information on the movement and the trafficking of drugs in return for the pair providing him with material for his book," said the source.
According to reports, Paul Hocking claimed that he and PC Brookes were carrying out an "ongoing police operation" when he was confronted by tabloid journalists.
Service rules forbid any member of prison staff to socialise with prisoners or former inmates unless they have specific approval from their prison governor.
The disgraced Tory peer has now been transferred to high-security Lincoln Prison after details emerged that he had lunched with the pair last Wednesday.
He is also being investigated over newspaper reports that he attended a champagne party hosted by Gillian Shephard, a former Tory minister, while on home leave.
The peer's wife, Lady Archer, has accused officials responsible for moving the 62-year-old to Lincoln Prison of "double standards". She insists that Archer did not drink any alcohol during the party.
Martin Narey, the head of the Prison Service, will decide this week where Archer should serve the rest of his prison sentence. A Prison Service spokeswoman said that he may be transferred back to an open prison if the inquiry finds that allegations that he broke prison rules are unfounded.
"He may be returned to open conditions in due course, depending on the outcome of our investigations and the normal risk assessment made to ensure a prisoner is suitable for open conditions," she said.
"There has been a serious breach of trust by Lord Archer by not abiding by the terms of his licence. We are also concerned about some aspects of his alleged activities while on temporary release in Lincoln."
Lincolnshire Police have asked their professional standards unit to examine whether PC Brookes did anything improper by meeting the convict while off duty.
The former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party was jailed for four years at the Old Bailey in July last year after being convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice during his 1987 libel action against the Daily Star.