Broacaster admits to giving police officer a bottle of scotch as a young reporter Details of Mr Humphrys" youthful indiscretion, dating back to the 1960s, comes at a time when the police are being discouraged to accept hospitality from journalists. "I was only 17 years old and working on the Merthyr Express," he recalled. The sergeant was very helpful and it was expected he would get a nice bottle of scotch. The bottle would be presented at Christmas, he recalled. It was the only thing I was allowed to put on expenses apart from bus fares. Any idea of entertaining was out of the question apart from this bottle of Scotch for the copper. Last year a report by Dame Elizabeth Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards, said officers should watch out for "late night carousing" and extensive drinking sessions with reporters. Now informal contacts are discouraged and the Filkin report urges officers to take notes of any conversation with reporters. This is is sharp contrast to custom and practice when Mr Humphrys was cutting his teeth as a journalist. Links in those halcyon days between the local press and and the police were close. I was working on the Penarth Times and having my two shilling Chinese meal, when a copper told me to put the food away and took me down to the docks where a guy had driven into the water. Reflecting on his journalistic career in the 1960s, Mr Humphrys added. The world was a very different place then and there were no rules.