Sacked Durham PCs win plea over cuts to their pensions

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Two ex-Durham police officers who admitted selling guns handed in to police have won a pensions case.

Maurice Allen, 47, and Damien Cobain, 41, took Durham Police Authority to court over what they call "excessive" cuts to their police pensions.

It had cut Allen's pension by 65% and Cobain's by 30% after the two officers admitted misconduct in a public office.

Judge Peter Fox agreed the cuts were severe and reduced them to 25% for Allen and 10% for Cobain.

The judge also ordered that Cobain's costs were to be paid by the police authority.

The PCs were given suspended sentences in July 2010, after officers investigating a gun stolen from a farm were told it had been bought from police.

The judge at Newcastle Crown Court sentenced Allen to 51 weeks, which was suspended for two years, and Cobain to 40 weeks, suspended for 18 months.

The pair have since resigned from the force.

Allen, of Houghton le Spring, had nearly 29 years' police service, while Cobain, of Sunderland, had been with the force for eight years.