'Opportunistic' PC Oliver Darby, 42, stole a bank card and provisional driving licence from Gary Steel when he discovered him dead at his home during a welfare check.
And he'd probably have got away with it if he hadn't also upset a fellow cop:
The Army veteran's "despicable" theft, in January 2017, was uncovered when his home was searched after a female PC accused him of being a Peeping Tom.
Just the sort of modern police officer we need!
Darby, of Camberwell Green, appeared for sentencing for three counts of theft at Blackfriars Crown Court after being convicted by a jury earlier this month.
He was sentenced to do 200 hours of unpaid work with 20 days of rehabilitation during a 12-month community order.
Let's see if PTSD gets raised in the excuse...
Heather Oliver, mitigating, said: "He's an Army veteran, he served his country for 16 years, he served his community as a police officer for nearly five years."
Ooh, nearly!
"Mr Darby is very shortly to be without an income and he will struggle to find employment given these convictions."
Ooh,
I don't know about that!
Come on down Melvin....
ReplyDeleteJaded
*More than 900 serving police officers and community support officers have a criminal record, official figures show. Forces across England and Wales employ officers with convictions for offences including burglary, causing death by careless driving, robbery, supplying drugs, domestic violence, forgery and perverting the course of justice.
ReplyDeleteThose with criminal records include senior officers, among them two detective chief inspectors and one chief inspector working for the Metropolitan police.
At least 944 serving officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) have a conviction, according to the figures released by 33 of the 43 forces in England and Wales in response to freedom of information requests.
Many forces could not provide details of criminal records dating from before their staff joined the police, meaning the true figure will be SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
The Met, Britain's largest force, headed the list with 356 officers and 41 PCSOs with convictions. It was followed by Kent police (49), Devon and Cornwall police (44), Essex police (42), South Yorkshire police (35), Hampshire police (31) and West Midlands police (27), although not all the figures are directly comparable.
*Guardian Newspaper January 2012.
Kenneth Noye is now available for job interview, Jaded.
ReplyDeleteCan't comment on each individual PC or PCSO with a conviction. But how many were actually convicted whilst employed by the police?Or before they joined? And what constitutes a conviction? Traffic offences or more serious? You can prove anything with statistics.
ReplyDeleteAccording to google there are approximately 152,000 police and PCSO's. My maths isn't great but that's 0.6%. Compared to let's say.....MP's? 0.6% of them with convictions or a hell of a lot more?
Kenneth Noye is a bit too old Melvin.
Jaded.
I find it interesting that the figures in the Guardian article relate to only 33 of the 43 forces. Time after time journalists, pressure groups etc make the same freedom of information request of all police forces, typically only two thirds comply. My own local force has a terrible record of flouting the Freedom of Information Act requests. It seems that if the answer to a question makes uncomfortable reading the police just ignore t.
ReplyDelete"Can't comment on each individual PC or PCSO with a conviction. But how many were actually convicted whilst employed by the police?"
ReplyDeleteWhy the f**k should anyone with a criminal conviction be allowed to become a police officer in the first place? They shouldn't be allowed anywhere near being in a position of power over everyone else. Why should I (with a spotless record, not so much a speeding ticket, more by luck than judgement the latter TBH) have some convicted criminal telling me what to do?
@ Sobers
ReplyDeleteUniformed crims are the worst hypocrites, taking a pathological delight in telling the rest of us what to do.
I find it hard to conceal my sneers whenever I see the traffic version swagger up to my car.
Keep concealing those sneers Melvin. Save them for here
ReplyDeleteJaded
"...and perverting the course of justice."
ReplyDeleteThat one, you'd think would be a bigger no-no than even murder. But apparently not!
"I find it interesting that the figures in the Guardian article relate to only 33 of the 43 forces. "
I think we can draw our own conclusions about the ones that don't respond...
"Why should I (with a spotless record, not so much a speeding ticket, more by luck than judgement the latter TBH) have some convicted criminal telling me what to do?"
Spot on! Like Caesar's wife, they should be above reproach.