PC jailed for stealing pensioner's savings

A POLICEMAN was jailed for nine months for stealing pounds 700 from the savings of an 83-year-old widow who asked him for crime-prevention advice.

PC Ken Davies, 44, took the cash from Doris Midwood after he visited her flat in Shipley, West Yorkshire, to give her "safe tins" for her cash. He was the community constable.

At Leeds Crown Court, Davies said he took the cash because he was under stress after several deaths in his family and immediately wanted to return it. Judge Robert Taylor told him yesterday: "It involved a grave breach of trust ... taking advantage of an elderly and vulnerable person who was looking to you to advise and protect her ... It was an isolated offence, but it was extremely serious."

On three visits to Mrs Midwood's home Davies was shown where she kept her cash, a "substantial amount of money" saved from her pension each week. On his third visit he helped her to put some of the money in a safe tin and told her to put it in a cupboard. But while she was out of the room he took pounds 700 from the remainder of her savings and put it in his jacket pocket.