PSNI officer accused of theft said it was ‘mistake’

A PSNI officer who arrested a police colleague after she was suspected of shoplifting was told that it had been a “genuine mistake”, a court has heard.

Linda Totten (50), with an address given as PSNI Enniskillen, is accused of shoplifting £156.81 worth of goods on Christmas Eve 2013, as well as other items four days earlier.

Both offences allegedly occurred at Asda in Enniskillen.

On the third day of the trial, brief evidence was given by the arresting officer who attended the scene on Christmas Eve.

The officer said she attended the Asda store, made her way to the holding room and introduced herself to Totten.

The arresting officer said that at this point Totten said: “It was a genuine mistake.”

The officer arrested and cautioned the defendant and took her to Enniskillen Police Station.

Further allegations of poor treatment by shop staff were levelled but rejected outright as lies.

Earlier, defence counsel Mr Liam McStay put it to a store supervisor yesterday that when a member of male staff approached and Totten asked him for water and medical assistance, he refused, opened a holding room door, pushed her in and closed the door.

But the supervisor replied: “That is a lie.

“It did not happen.” Accusations that the supervisor shouted at Totten, who is hearing impaired, in full view of shoppers were also rejected as “a lie”.

It is now anticipated the trial will exceed its original estimate of five days, and may run into next week.