Obama friend arrested in prostitution crackdown

An embarrassed President Barack Obama finds himself a victim of the Prince Andrew Syndrome - where an old friend allegedly becomes involved in an unsavoury escapade and there's nothing much you can do except avoid being photographed with them again (advice 'AirMiles Andy' failed to follow).

Obama's friend is Robert 'Bobby' Titcomb who police have confirmed was arrested in Honoululu earlier this week on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute.

Titcomb, who Obama has known since high school, was one of four men detained after an undercover 'sting' operation in Honolulu. He and the president play golf and basketball together when the Obamas return to Hawaii for holidays, and the First Family have been to barbecues at his seafront home in Waialua.

According to Hawaii News Now, 49-year-old Titcomb turned up on a street corner on Monday night to rendezvous with an escort he had arranged to meet through an online service. He allegedly offered to pay $100 for sex before discovering she was an undercover policewoman.

Honolulu police were operating a "reverse sting" to catch prostitutes' customers - or Johns - rather than the prostitutes themselves.

"Prostitutes obviously are committing crimes, but some of them are victims as well," said neighbourhood board member Frank Lavoie. "So we want to stop the Johns from giving them business."

Titcomb was released on $500 bail and will face a Honolulu court next month. The maximum punishment if he is convicted is 30 days' jail and a $500 fine.

Neither the White House nor Titcomb has commented on the arrest. ·