NEWS > 30 August 2006

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Life Style Extra - UK
30 August 2006

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Sick pay cop was fitting bathr

A policeman who falsely claimed to be off work sick while he was fitting new bathrooms was handed a six month suspended prison sentence today.

Between December 6 2004 and February 22 2006, Pc Steve Trendell, 30, took 246 days off due to ill health and spent a further 130 days on recuperative duties, Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard.

But Trendell, who was also today ordered to serve 250 hours of community service, had set up his own company called SJT bathroom solutions and had set up a business account for 18 months.

All the while he was claiming he was too ill to turn up to work as a police officer, working only 71 days in a 14 month period.

Trendell was arrested on 22 February this year following a surveillance operation by anti-corruption officers, in which they saw him working as a kitchen fitter while claiming to be off work ill.

He was suspended from his police duties following his arrest. The officers saw him driving to and from a bathroom supplies store in his work van and buying �14,000-worth of equipment from the Howtons store.

He claimed he had been forced into work because he had run up a debt of tens of thousands of pounds and had wanted to pay the money off.

Trendell also said he had taken the time off sick due to a bad back, sciatica, that had been caused while on duty and riding as a passenger in a police car.

At a court hearing on 3 August he pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining �954.92 in sick pay by deception.

He provided sick notes, but while he was off work for 42 days he fitted a new bathroom in October 2004. He was paid just under �1,300 and said he received �240 profit. He said the job took him three days.

On another occasion, he fitted a new boiler and bathroom and received �2,240. He said the job lasted ten days in May and June 2005.

The former Pc has since resigned from his post and his solicitor Heather Stango said he had lost his partner, his home and access to his son.

Trendell also admitted three counts of obtaining personal information from the Metropolitan Police computer system about himself, his partner and his family and friends, contrary to the Data protection act 1998.

The officer also pleaded guilty to three counts of driving a Ford Fiesta van without a licence and three counts of driving a vehicle without insurance.

Prosecuting, Mark Carroll said: "Mr Trendell started his career in Kingston in May 1998. he was transferred in 2004 to Transport for London. Since that time his attendance record within the police force has been pretty poor.

"During the period between 6 December 2004 and 22 February 2006, It appears he had 246 sick days, 130 days on recuperative duties, he worked for 71 days and had leave for 88 days.

"Due to the number of days that Mr Trendell was out of work he was referred to the occupational health department within the Met.

"He was told he should not perform operational duties and was deskbound for 12 months until August 2006."

Describing the surveillance Mr Carroll said: "Anti-corruption command officers saw him driving to and from Howtons."

Defending, Miss Stango, said: "He had a job which he loved, and which he hoped to have for the rest of his life. he had a mountain of debt. His partner has now left him and he no longer has access to his son and has lost his home."

Magistrate Mrs Edith Macauley sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, 250 hours unpaid community work and a two-year, one year and six month driving disqualification to run concurrently. He was also told to pay �55 of costs.

Mrs Macauley said: "You were a serving police officer when you committed these offences. You have lost your reputation as a result. We take these matters very seriously as they involve fraud of the public purse, in that you were working as a bathroom fitter while claiming sick pay."

After sentencing Mr Trendell, of Westmoreland Drive, Sutton, declined to comment.

He was also banned from driving for two years by the Magistrate.

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Article sourced from

Life Style Extra - UK30 August 2006

Sick pay cop was fitting bathr

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Life Style Extra - UK
30 August 2006