South Yorkshire detective produced fake witness statement and lied to boss

The former officer, DC 2558 Godfrey, was subject to misconduct proceedings and and would have lost his job had he still been serving.

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In a statement about the case, South Yorkshire Police said the hearing was called when it emerged that the ex-cop produced a witness statement claiming to have been from a resident he had never even met.

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It is claimed that he then ‘provided a fictitious story to his supervisor regarding the statement, intending to mislead the supervisor’.

During the same hearing it was also claimed that on around 50 occasions, between April and December 2018, the the officer ‘used South Yorkshire Police vehicles in circumstances where he had no legitimate policing purpose for doing so’.

The force said: “Former DC 2558 Godfrey was subject of a misconduct hearing on August 21.

“The panel considered allegations that the former officer was found to have produced a witness statement purporting to have taken it from a resident of South Yorkshire, when in fact he had never met the said resident.

"The former officer then provided a fictitious story to his supervisor regarding the statement, intending to mislead the supervisor.

“On or around 50 occasions, between April and December 2018, the former officer used South Yorkshire Police vehicles in circumstances where he had no legitimate policing purpose for doing so.

“The hearing was chaired by the Chief Constable, who decided that both aspects of the conduct were proven and amounted to gross misconduct, in relation to honesty and integrity, and discreditable conduct.

“Had the officer still been a serving officer, he would have been dismissed without notice.

“The officer has been placed on the Barred List with the College of Policing.”

There are a number of options available to bosses at South Yorkshire Police after misconduct proceedings, including instant dismissal, warnings and management advice.

Some officers and staff members resign before the hearings are held, but incidents are still discussed by the force and officers can be barred from joining any other force.

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