Bridgend PC stole £30,000 from club and memorial fund Published duration 25 June 2018

image copyright Wales News Service image caption Justin Lott appeared at Cardiff Crown Court

A police officer could be facing jail for stealing more than £30,000 from his force's athletic club including from a dead colleague's memorial fund.

PC Justin Lott, 40, stole cash and hardware from the South Wales Police Central Divisional Athletic Club, which he ran with his wife, who is also a PC.

The case against his wife Sharyn was dropped but Lott, from Bridgend, admitted three counts of theft when he appeared at Cardiff Crown Court.

Sentencing will take place in July.

He has been released on bail and was told "all sentencing options are open".

Communities 'betrayed'

Lott "exploited" other police officers by stealing cash raised in the memory of a dead colleague, his police chief said after the hearing.

Ch Supt Dorian Lloyd said Lott resigned from his role before before he was sacked.

"Justin Lott exploited the trust of colleagues within South Wales Police who showed tremendous generosity in memory of a colleague who had demonstrated great courage and determination throughout a period of ill health," said Ch Supt Lloyd.

"Not only has he betrayed those who he worked alongside but also the communities of south Wales which he once served.

Lott stole a TV, laptop and money amounting to more than £30,000 while acting as club secretary at the force HQ in Bridgend, the court heard earlier.

His 43-year-old wife and former South Wales Police colleague resigned from her job as a PC this year despite being acquitted of possessing criminal property.

Email records examined

Ch Supt Lloyd said Mrs Lott will still face a formal disciplinary process later this year.

The crimes against the athletics club, which also ran social events and the force triathlon, took place over several years.

Prosecutor Robin Rouch said investigators examined "six to seven thousand pages" of internet and email records to find out the full extent of the thefts.

Lott, who has been barred from serving as a police officer, admitted stealing three amounts of money on separate occasions totalling £9,280, £10,929 and £10,542 respectively.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins warned him: "You have pleaded guilty to serious matters of theft involving a gross breach of trust.