Detective ‘forged signature in witness statement’

A POLICE officer with 18 years’ experience forged a signature on a murder case witness statement, a court has heard.

Detective Constable Robert Ferrow, of Hampshire police, was investigating the death of Lucy-anne Rushton, who was murdered by her estranged husband Shaun Dyson in 2019.

DC Ferrow, 50, appeared for trial at Winchester Crown Court yesterday, after denying a charge of forgery.

Prosecutor Robert Bryan told jurors that the case concerns a witness statement given by Ashley Grace-o’neill, a friend of Dyson, to DC Ferrow on June 23 2019. After speaking to the detective for up to two hours, Mr Grace-o’neill asked if he could return the next day.

DC Ferrow said he needed to copy various text messages that Mr Graceo’neill had provided screenshots of into the statement, the jury was told.

According to Mr Grace-o’neill, DC Ferrow said: “Because I am only copying it out and you will be able to read it at a later date, do you want to sort of sign a couple of pages and I will write it out?” The witness agreed to sign blank pages ahead of DC Ferrow copying out the messages on to them, adding that he would like to check the statement after, and the detective agreed. Mr Graceo’neill returned the next day to read his statement but no one was able to help.

Mr Bryan said: “He had signed some blank pages, but some of the pages in the witness statement now completed had not been signed by him. Those … had been forged.”

DC Ferrow claimed it was Mr Graceo’neill who had suggested signing the blank pages, and that after copying down the messages he still had two signed blank pages left.

The trial continues.