One of the country's most senior Asian police officers has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of misconduct in a public office and trying to pervert the course of justice.

Superintendent Dr Ali Dizaei, 40, of Henley- on-Thames, Oxfordshire, was remanded on unconditional bail until 10 April during the appearance on Monday.

No formal pleas were taken.

In a separate case at Bow Street Magistrates' Court, he faces proceedings on eight other summonses of furnishing false information relating to expenses claims.

Criminal damage case

Mr Dizaei, who serves in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was tipped as a future chief constable and is prominent member in the National Black Police Association (NBPA).

The charge of misconduct against Mr Dizaei involves allegations that he misled investigating officers following a report of criminal damage to his BMW car.

It is alleged that he obstructed the course of public justice, wasted police time and money and sought wrongly to blame other serving police officers for causing the criminal damage to his motor vehicle and "thereby did harm the public interest".

He is also accused of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice by making false reports about the car.

The allegations of false accounting relate to expenses claims involving mileage on police business.

Victimisation claim

His expenses claims are alleged to have been inflated between 4 January to 9 October in relation to travel claims involving various sums from �69 to �502.

Mr Dizaei has claimed he was discriminated against and victimised because of his race and his work for the NBPA.

The former chief inspector at Henley was suspended from his �52,000-a-year job in January last year.

Mr Dizaei has joint British and Iranian citizenship, his father was a deputy commissioner of police in Tehran.

After studying law at university, the officer joined the Thames Valley force in 1986, being quickly singled out as a future star and had consistently challenged racism in the Metropolitan Police.