Wednesfield Pc in court for forging statement signature
A police officer who forged a signature on a statement after a woman made a complaint of harassment against her ex-partner has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Pc Stuart Williams, aged 37, who was stationed at Wednesfield police station, has resigned after he was sentenced to four months' imprisonment suspended for a year at Coventry Crown Court.
His resignation, which meant he avoided facing a gross misconduct hearing, was accepted by the force with immediate effect.
He had been due to face trial but instead admitted forging a woman's signature on a retraction statement, which meant her report of harassment against an ex-partner was withdrawn without her knowledge.
The trial was the culmination of an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
The judge described the officer's actions as 'lazy and stupid', as he also ordered Pc Williams to pay costs.
In July 2010 the woman made a report to police that her ex-partner was harassing her and Pc Williams took a statement from her.
In May 2011 another officer filed the crime report as undetected as police had apparently received a retraction statement.
It however later emerged that the woman's signature had been forged
The ex-partner was subsequently arrested.
