PC stole dead man's betting slip

A FORMER police officer has been told "to expect immediate custody" after he admitted stealing a winning betting slip from a dead man.

PC John Fleet, 28, of Warbro Road in Torquay, South Devon, took the slip – worth just £59.21 – when he was called to investigate the death of Stephen Lawrence.

Plymouth Crown Court heard that Mr Lawrence, of Paignton, died of natural causes and Fleet was sent to the house after a call from a neighbour.

But after he found the body he spotted a winning betting slip that Mr Lawrence had made days before on a horse race. He took the slip and cashed it.

The next day Mr Lawrence's sister visited the bookmakers to place a bet. The bookmaker told her it was "such a shame" about Mr Lawrence's death and revealed someone had called in to collect his winnings.

She immediately alerted police but Fleet then contacted her to try to persuade her to drop the complaint.

Fleet, who is single and lives with his grandmother, was suspended from the force and has since resigned from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.

On Wednesday he pleaded guilty at Plymouth Crown Court to theft by "stealing a betting slip to the value of £59.21 from the estate of Stephen Lawrence" between July 30 and August 2 this year.

Fleet also admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice.

The charge read out in court was: "You intended to pervert the course of public justice, did an act which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice in that you made an entry on an operational log which indicated that you had communicated with Diane Adams in an attempt to dissuade her from complaining or acknowledging your part in the commission of an offence."

Adjourning sentencing until next month, Judge Francis Gilbert QC told him: "I warn you that you must expect immediate custody for these offences, which were very serious."

At a previous hearing before the city's Magistrates Court, Fleet also admitted accessing the force computer after a friend asked him to obtain contact details for his ex-girlfriend Sally Pimm.

Miss Pimm was contacted by her ex-boyfriend and she realised certain information could only have come from Fleet, his drinking partner.

Fleet pleaded guilty to five counts of obtaining personal information contrary to the Data Protection Act between January 2 and October 22 last year.

He was told to pay £575, which included a £100 fine for each of the counts as well as a £15 victim surcharge and £60 in costs.

Speaking at the earlier hearing, Judge Paul Farmer said: "This was totally inappropriate behaviour as a police officer. You have broken the public's trust that you would not abuse your position."

Emma Burt, mitigating, said Fleet had to resign from Devon and Cornwall police and was suffering from stress and depression.

She said: "He is dealing with the shame as a result of his mistakes. His life has come crashing down around his ears."

Fleet has been bailed to return for sentencing on December 5.