P.C. Gets 18-Month Community Order For Shoplifting

Devon and Cornwall Police Constable Christopher Spence (pictured left) has been given an 18-month community order after being found guilty at Exeter Crown Court of shoplifting.  Spence - aged 44, of Abbotsham, North Devon - was captured on a security camera stealing goods from a Lidl supermarket in Bideford on February 12th, 2024.  Whilst off-duty, he was seen wandering around the store with a rucksack, into which he put a packet of steak, a non-food item, a bag of nuts or crisps, a block of cheese, two bottles of drink, and four Easter treat bags.  The only item he appeared to pay for on leaving the shop was a loaf of bread.  Father-of-three Spence had ironically been involved with anti-shoplifting campaigns whilst in the force; he had also saved people from committing suicide and rescued others from incoming tides during his police career.  Spence was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work during his 18-month community order, as well as pay £300 towards prosecution costs within twelve months, a victim surcharge, and £30 compensation to the store.  More about the case, with a video of the officer carrying out the thefts, can be seen HERE.

Detective Charged With Sexual Assault

Another quick look today at Wales Online, and another article on yet another copper allegedly up to nefarious activities.  The latest miscreant is detective constable Samuel Garside (pictured left) of Dyfed-Powys Police, who is currently on trial at Swansea Crown Court for a sexual offence apparently committed whilst off duty in December of 2021.  Both parties were out on the town in Aberaeron just before Christmas, when the woman involved, who was drunk at the time, alleges that Garside pushed her into a doorway, where he assaulted her by inserting his fingers into one of her orifices, presumably her 'front-bottom'.  Garside then allegedly smirked and walked off.  Several days later, the woman said she sent a text message to Garside, telling him that his behaviour was unacceptable, but she wouldn't tell anyone, before later deleting the texts.  Curiously, the woman apparently did nothing for eighteen months, before reporting the incident to the police in July of 2023.  Garside was arrested on July 18th, 2023, and was promptly suspended from his police duties.  The alleged victim claims that Garside forced himself upon her, whilst he says it was consensual.  The trial continues at Swansea Crown Court.  Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this case, my feeling is that the accused should not be named or publicly pictured until guilt has been established beyond any reasonable doubt, because he may be innocent.

Policeman Jailed For 20 Years For Child-Rape

I had a brief look at the Wales Online website today, and one of the lead articles was a piece about the shifty-looking character on the left.  This person is 45-year-old former police worker, Alexander Wilson, who has been given a 20-year extended sentence at Swansea Crown Court for conducting a seven-year campaign of abuse and rape against a pre-pubescent girl.  Wilson, who had no previous convictions, had previously worked as a civilian enquiries clerk for South Wales Police in Swansea, as a community liaison officer for British Transport Police, and latterly as a train manager and conductor for Arriva Trains.  Wilson denied his guilt, forcing the girl to go through the traumatic ordeal of appearing in court, and was said to have caused her incalculable psychological harm.  He had raped his victim on multiple occasions, starting when the girl was five years old, and continuing until she was twelve.  The abuse only ended after an incident where Wilson forced the girl to perform a sex act on him, whereupon she texted her mother a 'codeword' the pair had agreed she would use if she felt in danger.  The girl then disclosed to her mother what had been going on, and her mother called the police.  Wilson was described as a "manipulative and dangerous paedophile", and was given a 20-year sentence, comprising 17 years in custody, followed by a three-year licence period.  He must serve two-thirds of his sentence before the Parole Board can determine if he is safe to be released, as well as being registered as a sex offender for life, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order to control his access to children.  More information about the case can be read HERE. 

Policeman Shared Photos Of Dead Bodies

Former Essex Police Officer, Russell Hinkins (pictured left), was sentenced to four years in jail at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 28th, 2024.  44-year-old Hinkins - of Haverhill, Suffolk - was found guilty of sharing information and photographs he had taken whilst on duty - including pictures of two dead women, road-crash victims, and a missing teenage girl - without "policing purpose to do so".  Hinkins - who joined Essex Police in January of 2015 - resigned from the police force in March, 2023, after admitting misconduct in a public office.  He had shared sensitive information via an unsecured email address with his partner and brother, including photos of two dead bodies - one of whom had died by suicide - as well as details about a state visit to the U.K. by U.S. President, Donald Trump.  Prosecutor, Liam Gregory, said that: "He did this to brag and show off to others.", while the prosecuting judge, Mary Loram, described Hinkins as: "arrogant, and a somewhat self-obsessed man who does not bow to the same code of conduct as others..."  Mitigating, Fiona McAddy said that Hinkins had "genuine remorse" for his actions, and that he wished to make "a useful contribution to society" following his release from prison.  More details of the case be found HERE.

P.C. Jailed For Sex-Assault On Child

Dean Dempster, aged 35 (pictured left), a former police officer with Greater Manchester Police, has been jailed for nine years for assaulting a six-year-old girl whilst on duty.  Dempster, a Manchester resident who joined the police force in 2021, was one of a group of three officers who attended a domestic incident in Oldham on December 29th, 2023, which involved both adults and children.  Whilst taking an account of the incident from the girl, away from his colleagues, Dempster sexually abused her.  The girl reported the assault, and Dempster was arrested the next day.  A subsequent search of Dempster's home found four pairs of folded children's underwear and more shredded underwear in a bag.  His mobile phone and iPad were found to contain 104 indecent category A images (the most serious) of children, 440 category B images, and 2,472 category C images.  He had superimposed pictures of himself on some of the child abuse images, and pictures of children taken on his body-worn police camera were also found on his phone.  Dempster was dismissed from the police force at an accelerated misconduct hearing in May of 2024.  In November, 2024, at Liverpool Crown Court, Dean Dempster was sentenced nine years in prison, and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.  More about the case can be found HERE.

Gwent Policeman Jailed For 10 Years For Child Sex Abuse

John Stringer, aged 43 (pictured left) - a former police officer with Gwent Police - has been sentenced to ten years' imprisonment after being found guilty on five counts of sexual abuse against a girl aged under thirteen.  He was convicted on two counts of sexual activity by touching, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act.  Stringer's victim had become suicidal as a result of the abuse, and had been taken to accident and emergency on several occasions, as her family became concerned she might take her own life.  Stringer himself apparently spent a great deal of his time watching pornography, and had over 4,000 internet searches on his phone on this subject.  He was, of course, dismissed from his job as a policeman as a result of his conviction, and was barred from ever joining the police force again.  Furthermore, Stringer was also made subject to sex offenders' notification requirements indefinitely, a restraining order indefinitely, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for fifteen years.  More about the case can be read HERE and HERE.

Gwent Policeman Kicks Wife Down Stairs & Breaks Her Spine

Gwent police officer, Huw Orphan, aged 32 (pictured left), was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison on Friday, October 25th, 2024, after he viciously assaulted his wife - fellow Police Officer, Amy Burley - leaving her with serious injuries.  The jury was told that Orphan and Burley met whilst working for Gwent Police In 2017, and married in 2019.  Orphan apparently first assaulted his wife in January of 2020, after he walked out of their house in Newport, and she slammed the door behind him.  He then forced his way back into the house, tackling his wife to the floor and causing her injuries.  Orphan subsequently left the house, but the two resumed their relationship, moving to Barry by April, 2020.  On April 7th, 2020, Orphan kicked Burley down the stairs of their house, causing her to suffer a fractured spine.  Orphan denied assaulting his partner, but was convicted following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.  More about the case HERE.