Two Police Officers sacked for theft, one demoted for pinning blame on innocents

Two police officers have been sacked after an inquiry which has taken three years and cost taxpayers £1million. A third officer - a sergeant with 20 years of service - was demoted to constable after he was proved to have accepted that a crime was committed by someone he knew could not have done it to improve his department’s detection rate.

The officers - from Macclesfield CID - were accused of stealing cash they had confiscated from criminals.

The Crown Prosecution Service received evidence in November 2004, but six months later it finally decided that no criminal charges should be brought.

Internal disciplinary proceedings then began with the hearing starting on November 13.

At the hearing, 12 of the 39 misconduct charges were either found proved or admitted by the officers. A 31-year-old constable with eight years’ service was sacked after three misconduct charges were proved, including that he failed to act with honesty and integrity by stealing money which he had seized from a suspect. A 38-year-old detective constable, with 18 years in the force, had four charges of misconduct proved against him, including one that he failed to act with honesty and integrity by stealing seized money. He too was sacked.

Cheshire Police bosses have refused to name the officers concerned.

Reforms of the way police are disciplined are due to come into effect next year but, under current rules, the force does not even have to reveal the names of the officers.