WOMAN Police Constable Reehaina Saddique has plunged Lancashire police into an embarrassing crisis.

Two weeks ago, the man she accused of sexual harassment, PC Paul Wilkinson, was found dead in his burnt-out car at Much Hoole on the outskirts of Preston. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

He was buried last week at All Saints Church, New Longton, and many friends and colleagues attended the service for the popular bobby who had served in the force for 12 years.

His widow, Anne-Marie, had angrily requested that his superior officers stay away in protest at the way they had handled the matter.

The sexual harassment complaint had been thrown out at internal disciplinary level through lack of evidence but it is now set down for an employment tribunal in November.

The Mail on Sunday said at the weekend that WPC Saddique, once hailed as a role model of racial awareness, is expected to name PC Wilkinson, a former teacher, as her tormentor.

The "grievance", as police call it, stems from an incident in which father-of-two PC Wilkinson had placed a saucer of milk in front of her, stroked her hair and called her "the station cat" -- a light-hearted police term for an officer who seldom goes out of the station. PC Wilkinson's father in law, James Christopher, said the former community bobby had been "driven to the edge" by the case. "He had been eaten away by the case hanging over his head."

Mr Christopher added: "As a family we wish to thank Paul's colleagues for the support they have given, but I am afraid his senior officers could have supported Paul more. So many questions need to be answered."

One question being investigated by Gordon Clark, Deputy Chief Constable of Humberside, is how PC Wilkinson got hold of the gun and ammunition.

WPC Saddique is married to Scotsman Glen MacBean. They have two children.

A prominent member of the force's community and ethnic relations team, she has recently been absent from work.