Woman quizzed over horse sperm

Louise Tomkins (45) was senior general manager at the Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust in London until this summer.

She also runs Southfield Stud at Benson's Park in Horsham, where she breeds top showjumping and dressage horses under the name of Louise Tomkins-Joud.

NHS trust sources told reporters that police were alerted after internal audits revealed an unusual series of large purchases of human semen from overseas suppliers. Invoices said to be worth several hundred thousand pounds had allegedly been created to account for the transactions. When these were later checked it appeared that the companies had supplied thoroughbred horse sperm.

They stressed there has been no suggestion of any horse sperm being improperly or inadvertently used in IVF treatments.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "Officers from Hammersmith and Fulham are investigating allegations of fraud involving Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust. A 45-year-old woman has been arrested and bailed."

Mrs Tomkins is the daughter of the late Sir Edward Tomkins, a former British ambassador to Paris and The Hague, and has been unavailable for comment.

She is reported to have strenuously denied the allegations.