Two Metropolitan Police officers and a community officer lied to make a "better" case against a man arrested for cannabis possession, a court heard. Sgt Marcus Garvey, of south-east London, Pc Wayne Campbell, of Kent, and PCSO Stefanie Loftus, of Essex, all deny perverting the course of justice. The three officers claimed they found Benjamin Thacker carrying cannabis. But a recording made by Mr Thacker during his arrest later prompted the arrest of the officers, jurors heard. Prosecutors claim between them, the three officers created a "false picture" against someone they thought "no-one would believe". Sledgehammers Subsequently the Crown Prosecution Service decided Mr Thacker should stand trial. It was only when a recording Mr Thacker had made in secret using a dictating machine was played to the court during his trial that the case was halted. Southwark Crown Court heard Mr Garvey, 44, of Abbey Wood, Mr Campbell, 41, from Cliffe, and Miss Loftus, 23, of Ilford, were then arrested. He [Mr Thacker] is someone who these three officers thought did not matter, who these three officers thought no-one would believe

Claire Howell, prosecutor They were charged with "doing acts tending or intended to pervert the course of public justice" between 25 January and 6 March last year. Claire Howell, prosecuting, said: "The prosecution case is that three officers sledge-hammered their way in, dragged him outside, found cannabis in the building, arrested him for being in possession of it and lied saying it had been in his pocket." She told jurors it would be up to them to decide where the defendants found the drugs after breaking into the squat in Shepherd's Bush, west London. The officers are also accused of making false notes in their evidence and action books which led to Mr Thacker going on trial. Ms Howell said: "He [Mr Thacker] is someone who these three officers thought did not matter, who these three officers thought no-one would believe." The trial continues.



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