Three South Wales Police officers 'stole' £30,000 in raid Published duration 27 October 2015

image copyright Wales News Service image caption Left to right: Christopher Evans, Michael Stokes and Stephen Phillips who all deny the charge

Three police officers stole £30,000 following a raid, a court has heard.

Det Sgt Stephen Phillips, 47, of Swansea, Det Cons Christopher Evans, 38, of Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, and Michael Stokes, 35, from Glynneath, Neath Port Talbot, deny theft.

Cardiff Crown Court heard they took some of the cash from two safes found in a Swansea house they raided in 2011.

It is claimed the rest was taken by Mr Phillips and Mr Stokes during a formal count at a South Wales Police station.

Mr Phillips is accused of four counts of theft while Mr Evans and Mr Stokes both face two charges.

Prosecutor Peter Griffiths QC described the defendants as "bad apples" of South Wales Police.

'Acted in concert'

"This case is an illustration of that," he said. "It's a case of police corruption."

The court heard Mr Phillips, Mr Evans and Mr Stokes executed a search warrant on a property in Penderry Road, Swansea, four years ago.

"Between April 1 and July 21 in 2011 these three defendants stole more than £30,000 in cash from monies which had been contained during the execution of a warrant," added Mr Griffiths.

Jurors were told the first tranche of cash was taken by all three defendants, who acted "in concert" with one another during the raid.

Mr Griffiths told the court the trio all worked for the force's organised crime unit and were close friends.

He said they had managed to open one of two safes during a raid and helped themselves to about £12,000 in cash belonging to a man called Joedyn Luben.

The second safe was later opened at a locksmiths in Swansea and the prosecution claim the £1,000 inside, owned by Natalie Luben, was taken by Mr Evans and Mr Stokes.

"The remainder of the cash was stolen from both safes by Phillips and Stokes on 21 July during the formal count," Mr Griffiths added.

'Made admission'

The court heard that Mr Stokes had told another officer he spent the cash on casinos, nightclubs and pub.

Mr Griffiths said the colleague had witnessed a row at Swansea air show between Mr Stokes and Mr Luben, who accused the police officer of stealing his money and damaging his safe.

Later, as the men were then travelling together to Llanelli, Mr Stokes made the admission that he and two other detectives took the money, Mr Griffiths added.

The court was told that when he found out he was being investigated by his force, Mr Stokes called the colleague from a payphone and said he was joking.