Norfolk police officer admits fraud

Ben Kendall A police officer has admitted defrauding an insurance company of more than £2,000. PC Steven Price, 43, who now lives in Lancashire but was serving for Norfolk police in Diss at the time of the offence, admitted fraud by false representation at Norwich Crown Court this morning.

Ben Kendall

A police officer has admitted defrauding an insurance company of more than £2,000.

PC Steven Price, 43, who now lives in Lancashire but was serving for Norfolk police in Diss at the time of the offence, admitted fraud by false representation at Norwich Crown Court this morning.

Prosecutor Simon Thomas told the court that Price and his partner Berit Hedegaard had conspired to submit a false claim to AA Insurance Services for underwater camera equipment they claimed they had lost while scuba diving.

Mr Thomas said Price had researched the price of the equipment on his work computer, had email conversations with Hedegaard about the claim and faxed the documents to the insurance company.

However, Michael Clare, mitigating, said: “It was her claim and there came a point when he realised that he was helping in a fraudulent claim but by then he was in too deep.”

Mr Clare added that Price had been suspended by Norfolk police and his career would now come to an end because of his guilty plea. Hedegaard, who was a civilian police worker, had already admitted a similar offence and received 200 hours community service.

Judge Peter Jacobs sentenced Price to 180 hours community service and ordered him to pay £1,000 costs. He added: “You have been a very foolish man but you have also been a dishonest man.”