Sacked PC ‘disgrace to the uniform’ after theft

ADISGRACED police officer ignored a vulnerable missing child probe so he could steal thousands of pounds while on duty, a hearing was told.

Ex-PC Tim Silverwood pleaded guilty to stealing £2,750 and €550 in court last month and will be sentenced next week.

A special misconduct inquiry was also held on July 9, which ruled that his actions were “at the most serious end of dishonesty”.

Silverwood, 45, was sacked without notice, branded a “disgrace to the uniform” and barred from ever working for the police again.

The hearing was told that the theft took place during one of the former constable’s shifts in Bridgwater last October.

It was said that Silverwood came across a “substantial amount of money” but asked a colleague to book in only some of it.

The inquiry, chaired by Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s top brass, concluded that his “intention to steal was deliberate and planned”.

It also found that Silverwood committed the crime when he should have been looking into a vulnerable missing child investigation.

In his findings, Chief Constable Andy Marsh said: “The criminal conduct to which PC Silverwood has pleaded guilty is especially serious for a number of reasons.

“Firstly, the criminal conduct was committed on duty.

“Secondly, the officer had other matters, notably inquiries to locate a vulnerable missing child, that he should have been progressing.

“Thirdly, there was a period of almost three hours between PC Silverwood coming into possession of a substantial amount of money and asking a colleague to book a small proportion of it into the found property record. This leads me to conclude that his intention to steal was deliberate and planned.

“The involvement of a colleague in the booking-in of a small proportion of the cash is an aggravating factor to his misconduct.

“There can be no doubt that his intention was personal financial gain.

“The only appropriate outcome by way of sanction in relation to this misconduct is dismissal without notice and in coming to this conclusion I have been mindful of the purpose of the police misconduct regime.

“PC Silverwood’s disgraceful conduct is at the most serious end of dishonesty and will no doubt cause significant harm to the confidence of the public in their police.

“His dismissal will help restore confidence that such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable within policing.

“There is a need to uphold the highest standards in policing as a deterrent to potential misconduct and dismissal signals how seriously such breaches are taken.

“Finally, there is a need to consider the degree to which the public need protection from the actions of PC Silverwood.

“I am of the view that he is entirely untrustworthy as far as property is concerned.

“PC Silverwood’s criminal conduct was much more than a serious lapse, indeed was a premeditated course of conduct.

“He is a disgrace to the uniform he once wore and has undermined the purpose of policing through his dishonesty.

“There is no place for him within policing or Avon and Somerset Constabulary and he will be dismissed without notice and entered onto the barred list so that he can never have any involvement in any role in policing in the future.”

Silverwood joined the force in 2004.

He will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court, after pleading guilty to the offence of theft at the city’s magistrates’ court.