Gatwick Airport PCSO 'stole £15k from travellers' Published duration 8 July 2014

image caption Alexis Scott denies seven counts of theft and one of misconduct in public office

A woman has denied stealing £15,000 from seven travellers while working as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) at Gatwick Airport.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Alexis Scott targeted long-haul passengers at the North Terminal.

Ms Scott took £3,000 from a woman who was travelling to Turkey that was intended to help pay for an operation and a wedding, jurors were told.

She denies seven counts of theft and one of misconduct in public office.

Seven people said they were approached by a female uniformed officer at the departure gate and told they could not take more than £1,000 in cash out of the country, the court heard.

It is alleged that Ms Scott, 39, of High Grove, London, confiscated the rest and put the cash in her hat in April last year.

The £15,000 has never been recovered.

Opening the case, prosecutor Anthony Prosser said: "Her position as a PCSO gave her access to the restricted airside area.

"It gave her the apparent authority to openly take cash from these passengers and they had no realistic opportunity to challenge an officer in uniform, who was telling them they had to hand over part of their cash to her."

The court heard in one case Ms Scott approached a woman travelling to Turkey who was carrying more than £5,000 in cash, partly to pay for a medical operation and the rest to pay for her nephew's wedding.

The woman was told to hand over £3,000 and when she asked for a receipt, she was told "we don't work like that".

Ms Scott was dismissed from Sussex Police last July.

The trial continues.