|
|
|
| NEWS > 15 January 2007 |
Other related articles:
Chief Must Act Firmly
Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts is facing the first big test of his ability to run the department since he took over more than a year ago.
His response could set the tone for the rest of his tenure.
Several police officers in the major crimes and booking divisions are under investigation over the disappearance of $800 seized as evidence in two separate cases last week.
Failure to bring the investigation to a swift and open conclusion, with appropriate punishment for those involved, could erode public confidence in the city's crime-fighting efforts and se... Read more
|
 Article sourced from
|
|
The Northern Echo, Darlington,
15 January 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
|
|
Policeman masterminded cashpoi
A CROOKED cop who masterminded cash-point raids to support his £600-per-week cocaine habit has been jailed for six years.
Northumbria policeman Jason Singh was at the head of a criminal gang who used heavy duty tools to smash their way into stand-alone ATMs.
The 23-year-old, who was based at South Shields, was hatching a plot to use a mechanical digger to knock through a bank wall and get his hands on either a cashpoint machine or bank safe before he was collared.
During a bungled raid Singh bragged he would rather attack people than make further failed attempts to target property.
And he almost carried out his threat when he used confidential force information to help gang members target a vulnerable woman with a large amount of cash.
Their plan to steal £30,000 she had was foiled and the woman, who never knew she was a target, did not lose out.
Judge Esmond Faulks told Singh: "The public is entitled to expect the highest standards from its police officers.
"When a police officer becomes a criminal the public is also entitled to expect that he receives severe punishment.
"You have let everyone down, not just yourself and your family but the general public and the police whose reputation for integrity and honesty you have tarnished."
The crime gang, who were equipped with walky-talkies to contact each other during meticulously planned raids, made off with £13,000, and caused over £14,00 worth of damage, at one machine in Gateshead in November 2005.
A second machine in the area was targeted a few weeks later at the end of December but the raiders were disturbed before they could make off with any cash.
They went back to the unsuccessful target the following night but when they were scared off again headed back to the machine they targeted in November.
But before the could make off with the £22,000 inside officers lying in wait pounced and the gang was arrested. It was only after Singh's superiors grew suspicious about the company he was keeping and set up a sting that his double life was exposed.
Singh had even recruited his younger brother Craig, who had never been in any trouble before, into the crime gang to act as look out.
Prosecutor Sean Morris told Newcastle Crown Court: "These conspiracies were unearthed as a result of police having concerns about the company Jason Singh was keeping.
"Jason Singh at that time of course was police constable Jason Singh who was stationed at South Shields.
"As a result of police concerns an operation an operation was mounted, code named Vector, which involved the planting of covert surveillance devices in vehicles that would be used by Singh and others together with covert surveillance by officers.
"Singh and his associates were watched over a period of time and what the recordings and observations revealed were that Singh was a key player in a criminal gang, planning and carrying out thefts from cash point machines."
Singh, of Dunston, Gateshead, admitted two charges of conspiracy to steal.
Fellow conspirators Justin Brown, 27, of Fernlough, Windy Nook, Gateshead and Mark Macdonald, 26, of Chelsea Gardens, Deckham, Gateshead, also admitted two charges in relation to the cash point machines and the vulnerable woman.
Shane Faife, 25, of Redhugh Court, Gateshead; Craig Singh, 20, of Ryde Terrace, Gateshead; Joseph McDonald, 27, of Colegate, Leam Lane, Gateshead and Peter Chisholm, 27, of The Garth, Whickham, Gateshead, all admitted one charge of conspiracy to steal in relation to the cash points.
Mark MacDonald also admitted a burglary charge in relation to a Ladbrokes betting shop last November while on bail for the conspiracy charges.
All, apart from Craig Singh, have previous convictions including Mark MacDonald and Justin Brown who have been jailed for armed raids in the past.
Judge Faulks jailed Faife for two years, Mark MacDonald for four-and-a-half years, Chisholm for two years and Brown for three-and-a-half years.
Craig Singh was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders institution.
The judge told them: "The conspiracy was detected owing to a listening device secretly placed in a car used by Jason Singh.
"The listening device picked up a number of conversations between you all about your plans to steal from cash machines.
"Those conversations show all the hallmarks of serious organised crime."
Joseph McDonald will be sentenced on Friday.
Jason Singh's defence barrister Tony Hawks told the court how the officer's life started to hit "rock bottom" when the promising footballer was told by Newcastle United's youth team they no longer wanted him.
He started hanging around with the wrong crowd and started drinking and taking cocaine.
He joined the force in a bid to get his life back on track but soon was £30,000 in debt to support his growing cocaine habit.
Mr Hawks said: "His cocaine habit spiraled out of control and by the time these offences were committed the defendant was taking somewhere in the region of £600 worth of cocaine per week."
Mr Hawks said Singh is "thoroughly ashamed of himself" and devastated by the shame he has brought upon himself and his family.
Speaking after the hearing Deputy Chief Constable David Warcup said: "It is extremely rare for a police officer to become involved in offences as serious as this.
"I want to reassure the public that Northumbria Police expects and demands the highest ethical principles and professionalism from everyone who works with us.
"Where anyone is discovered to be acting in a way which is less honest or in a way which may harm the excellent reputation we have earned, we will take a very robust line.
"The Integrity Unit of our Professional Standards Department has a specific mandate to identify and root out corruption, dishonest and other unethical behaviour in the force, and has been very successful in carrying that out.
"I take satisfaction from the knowledge that when something like this does occur we have the systems in place to identify and deal with it effectively.
"Total policing is about tackling criminals at all levels, whoever they are.
"As a result of this investigation Northumbria Police will be an even more effective and secure organisation, a force in which our communities can have confidence."
|
| |
 EiP Comments:
|
|---|
|
| |
* We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper or periodical. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and we will remove the article. The articles republished on this site are provided for the purposes of research , private study, criticism , review, and the reporting of current events' We have no wish to infringe the copyright of any newspaper , periodical or other works. If you feel that we have done so then please contact us with the details and where necessary we will remove the work concerned.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 |
Ethics in Policing, based in the UK, provide information and advice about the following:
Policing Research | Police News articles | Police Corruption | International Policing | Police Web Sites | Police Forum | Policing Ethics | Police Journals | Police Publications |
|
| |
|
