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Warwickshire Police theft: Ex-officer Paul Greaves charged | Warwickshire Police theft: Ex-officer Paul Greaves charged |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A retired police officer has been charged with the theft of £113,000 from Warwickshire Police's former HQ. | A retired police officer has been charged with the theft of £113,000 from Warwickshire Police's former HQ. |
Paul Andrew Greaves, 54, from Stratford-upon-Avon was charged after the cash disappeared from the former headquarters in Leek Wootton. | Paul Andrew Greaves, 54, from Stratford-upon-Avon was charged after the cash disappeared from the former headquarters in Leek Wootton. |
The man was named by the Crown Prosecution Service after Warwickshire Police refused to reveal his identity. | The man was named by the Crown Prosecution Service after Warwickshire Police refused to reveal his identity. |
The force has since apologised after the crime commissioner said it was "disappointed" at the decision. | |
Warwickshire Police said on Wednesday it would not name the officer until he appeared in court because of a "change in its policy". | |
'Robust conversations' | |
A statement issued on the force website said: "Due to a change in policy we no longer release the name of an individual on charge. | A statement issued on the force website said: "Due to a change in policy we no longer release the name of an individual on charge. |
"Journalists may request a surname for guidance the day before the first court appearance". | "Journalists may request a surname for guidance the day before the first court appearance". |
Deputy chief constable, Neil Brunton, defended the guidelines on Twitter after they were questioned by a journalist. | |
He said: "The policy was recently changed to align with national policy post Leverson [sic] and not because of today's outcome." | |
The force withdrew its previous statement after it said senior officers had discussed its policy on naming defendants. | |
It said: "In keeping with national policy Warwickshire Police does not name suspects on arrest. The force may, however, name suspects on charge unless it is inappropriate to do so. | It said: "In keeping with national policy Warwickshire Police does not name suspects on arrest. The force may, however, name suspects on charge unless it is inappropriate to do so. |
"In the case in question it is inappropriate to name the person at this time." | "In the case in question it is inappropriate to name the person at this time." |
On Thursday Eric Wood, the deputy police and crime commissioner, said he was "extremely disappointed at what has transpired in the last 24 hours". | |
"I was very surprised to hear about this sudden change of policy yesterday evening, and immediately contacted Deputy Chief Constable Neil Brunton on behalf of the commissioner to discuss our concerns. | |
"We have since had a number of robust conversations. | |
"Both the commissioner and I firmly believe that it is in the public interest that this individual is named. He is charged with a serious offence." | |
'Wrong decision' | |
Mr Wood said he and the commissioner wanted a "full and frank report" on the circumstances leading to the decision. | |
"We are committed to ensuring that Warwickshire Police operate in an open and transparent manner and that lessons have been learned from the mistakes of the last 24 hours." | |
A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO] said any police policy on naming was a matter for them and no new national guidelines had been issued on the subject. | A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers [ACPO] said any police policy on naming was a matter for them and no new national guidelines had been issued on the subject. |
Warwickshire Police issued an apology over the matter and said as a result of concerns raised it accepted the decision not to name Mr Greaves was wrong and inconsistent with national guidance. | |
"We will now be adopting the national ACPO guidance in respect to naming individuals on charge," the statement said. | |
"We apologise that our previous approach has not been consistent with this." | |
Mr Greaves will appear before magistrates in Leamington on 22 May, charged with "committing theft from his employer, Warwickshire Police, between June 2009 and September 2011", the CPS said. | Mr Greaves will appear before magistrates in Leamington on 22 May, charged with "committing theft from his employer, Warwickshire Police, between June 2009 and September 2011", the CPS said. |