No jail for former Pc over claims

A former firearms police officer from Burntwood has avoided jail after dishonestly claiming payments in his new role as a law clerk.

Graham Rees, aged 51, would claim twice as much money as he should have.

The West Midlands Police officer made the claims when he was asked to speak to suspects at Midland police stations by bosses at M A Rumble Legal Services, based in Stourbridge.

Rees, who was given commendations during his 13 years as a policeman, admitted eight charges of false accounting.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard he only benefited to the tune of around £470 from his scam, between May 2005 and July 2006.

Mr Adrian Keeling, defending, said Rees, of Chorley Road, Burntwood, had "succumbed to dishonesty" after leaving the police in the 1980s and starting work for M A Rumble in 2004.

"He will have to suffer the publicity that goes with this case. He has had to move to a different area," Mr Keeling told the court.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told Rees: "When you were representing more than one defendant, you claimed double which you knew at that stage was wholly wrong. It represents a breach of trust."

Rees was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.