A FORMER British police officer has been jailed after making more than 100 fraudulent expenses claims and receiving his salary when not at work, including on one occasion when he went to Ireland to watch rugby.
Jamie Harrison, 55, from Droitwich, Worcestershire was secretary and treasurer of the West Mercia Police Federation (WMPF) between 2010 and 2018.
However, he abused his position by repeatedly dipping into the WMPF’s petty cash, over which he had sole control, to fund his personal expenses.
“As a police officer and Federation treasurer, Jamie Harrison was in a position of considerable trust and was expected to act with honesty and integrity,” said Victoria Norman from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
“Instead, he exploited his control over WMPF’s finances for personal gain and behaved in a thoroughly dishonest way during the entire eight years of his tenure.”
Rugby trips and family holidays
Harrison repeatedly abused his position of trust — in which he was responsible for safeguarding the financial interests of his fellow officers — by using petty cash to fund his personal expenditure on food, alcohol and entertainment.
The CPS said he kept his claims just under £100 to avoid scrutiny, however, more than 100 fraudulent claims were subsequently identified.
Harrison abused his position again by falsifying timesheets to receive and accept pay for full working shifts.
However, text messages proved that on occasions when he was recorded as working, he was abroad on holiday or taking trips to Ireland and Italy to watch rugby.
The messages also showed that he spent time working on his allotment during periods when timesheets recorded him as working a full shift.
Harrison used his attendance at National Police Memorial Days — solemn occasions honouring officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty — as opportunities to take his wife and children on family holidays at the federation’s expense.
The family stayed in four- and five-star hotels in York, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London, with Harrison claiming the cost of accommodation, meals and day trips from his fellow officers’ funds.
The total value of the fraud was approximately £13,500.
Harrison, who resigned from West Mercia Police in February 2022, was convicted of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position at Hereford Crown Court.
He was sentenced this week to two years and three months in jail for each charge, to run concurrently.
‘Total betrayal’
“Harrison displayed an extremely cavalier attitude to being caught, dipping into petty cash at will, claiming expenses far beyond what was reasonable and falsifying timesheets,” said Ms Harrison.
“His entitled and dishonest behaviour ran counter to everything he should have stood for as a public servant and was a total betrayal of the colleagues whose subscriptions funded the Police Federation, who trusted that their money would be used appropriately.
“The Crown Prosecution Service is determined to bring to justice those public servants who commit fraud and abuse positions of trust.”
Detective Superintendent Tony Garner from West Mercia Police said Harrison ‘chose to act for himself’.
“He took advantage of the position as Treasurer and Secretary within the Police Federation to use members’ funds for his own gain,” he added.
“This was a betrayal of the trust placed in him by both the public and his colleagues.
“His actions amounted to criminal behaviour and an investigation was carried out, without fear or favour, as the public would rightly expect.”
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