Cannibal Cop: British nurse arrested says he only posted 'stupid things' online about eating women because it was 'funny'

Dale Bolinger is accused of conspiring with Gilberto Valle

Gilberto Valle with his wife Kathleen Mangan-Valle

A British nurse arrested in a Transatlantic investigation into the so-called 'Cannibal Cop' has said his only involvement was writing "stupid things" online because it was "funny".

Police are investigating any link between Dale Bolinger and 28-year-old policeman Gilberto Valle, who is on trial in America accused of conspiring to kidnap, kill and eat six women.

Valle denies the charges but the New York court has heard he was in online contact with a Briton who seemed to be acting as a mentor on cannibalism.

Bolinger, 57 and from Canterbury, was arrested on February 21 on suspicion of conspiracy offences, but also on suspicion of grooming and possession of child abuse images along with another man.

Yesterday, he told The Times: "None of this is real. It is all fantasy. I have spoken to the police and they are undertaking inquiries."

"It was my stupidity. Because of going online and saying stupid things and putting stupid things about, thinking that it was funny."

Neighbours of Mr Bolinger, who lives in an end-of-terrace house, described yesterday how teams of police brought in sniffer dogs and used shovels to probe the garden last week as they searched his property.

The father-of-two has reportedly been suspended by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Two men, aged 57 and 30, from the Canterbury area were arrested on February 21 for conspiracy offences, grooming and possession of child abuse images.

"The two men are currently on police bail whilst enquiries continue.

"Kent Police has been in contact with US law enforcement agencies in relation to this investigation. We can confirm it is in relation to the Gilberto Valle case in the US."

James Godden, 31, who lives near Bolinger, told Kent Online: "We saw police here from about 7am last Thursday and they were all day.

"They had forensics teams and sniffer dogs in the house. We don't know him and have never really seen him."