Jury considers verdict in trial of police officer
AJURY has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a police officer on trial accused of stealing £50 from a lost wallet.
Gwent Police officer Stephen Davies, 38, from Churchwood in Pontypool, denies one count of theft and is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
On day three of the hearing, defence barrister Christopher Rees asked the defendant: “Did you steal £50 from Thomas Dowden’s wallet?”
The defendant replied: “No, not at all.”
Opening the case, prosecutor John Hipkin said Mr Dowden, from Sheffield, lost his wallet on June 10 last year after visiting Ye Old Ferrie Inn in Symonds Yat.
The next morning, Andrew McGrath found it while out jogging, left his details at the pub and handed it to the defendant, who was on duty at Monmouth Police Station.
Prosecutors said Davies told a police community support officer there was no money inside.
The court heard Mr Dowden contacted the pub on June 12 last year, and was directed to Mr McGrath, who told him he gave the wallet to police containing £50.
Mr Dowden went to the station and was given his wallet, but there was no cash inside.
The jury was told the defendant withdrew £50 from a cash point in Monmouth on June 14, just before returning to the police station.
Mr Hipkin said: “He told a colleague he was looking for the money that had gone missing and that he didn’t want any help looking for it.
“A very short time later, he said he found it while looking at an area under the front desk.
“The Crown say, a complaint having been made, the looking for and finding of the money was a sham.
“The defendant was trying to replace the stolen money, which the Crown say wouldn’t have been the original notes, and replace it with notes he withdrew from the ATM.”
During cross-examination, Mr Hipkin said: “You saw an opportunity to steal the money.”
Davies replied: “I have no propensity to want to steal. “I am an honest person.” The trial continues.