Former Police Federation Treasurer jailed for expenses fraud

An ex-police officer and former West Mercia Police Federation Treasurer has been found guilty of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position between 2010 and 2018, perpetrated through more than 100 fraudulent expense claims.

An investigation found that Jamie Harrison had been dipping into the Federation’s petty cash, over which he had sole control, to fund personal expenditure on family holidays, meals, pub crawls and entertainment.

Concerns were first raised with the national Police Federation in June 2018. Based on the allegations, the Federation commissioned auditors to review the West Mercia branch’s financial accounts.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Harrison abused his position as Treasurer “repeatedly” over the years to the tune of £12.699.88, always keeping claims under £100 to avoid scrutiny.

The CPS said that Harrison also received salary payments for days when he was not at work.

Text messages proved he took days off to watch rugby abroad, including trips to Italy and Ireland, and spent time working on his allotment, while his timesheets falsely recorded him as working full shifts.

Most shockingly, he used his attendance at National Police Memorial Days, which are solemn occasions honouring officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, as opportunities to take his wife and children on family holidays.

According to the CPS, the family stayed in four and five-star hotels in York, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London, with Harrison claiming the cost of accommodation, meals and day trips from his fellow officers’ funds.

Sentencing Harrison to two years and three months in jail for each charge, to run concurrently, Judge Martin Jackson described Harrison’s actions as a “gross abuse of the system” and “an abuse of a position of trust and responsibility”. He judged that Harrison was “motivated by personal gain”.

Roger Isaacs, National Technical Director of NIFA, says that this case is notable for the way relatively small claims were submitted over a long period, which can make this type of fraud harder to detect

“It is often difficult to understand how this type of activity can continue unchecked for so many years, but this case highlights how easily routine processes can be exploited if they are not subject to regular scrutiny and one individual is responsible for expenses and petty cash.”

Sources: BBC

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