Former Pc cleared of defrauding the force

A former Thames Valley policeman has been cleared of defrauding the force and social security by pretending he was unfit for work.

Pc Shane Bond, who hurt his wrist in 1996, faced trial for allegedly conning £58,000 sick pay from the force and Industrial Injuries Benefit Agency.

Mr Bond, 39, of Penzance, Cornwall, was accused of lying about his injury after the prosecution at Reading Crown Court claimed police cameras caught him running a business, driving a car and riding a pony, despite claims for 18 months his left arm was useless.

Philip Shorrock, for the prosecution, said Mr Bond had exaggerated his injuries saying he was "a virtual recluse" who could not drive or interact with his family.

But at the end of a four-day trial Judge Christopher Compston directed the jury to acquit Mr Bond on two counts of obtaining money by deception between July 1998 and July 2001.

He said: "If this defendant and his family had had the pastoral care from the police, we might not have been here. "

The judge ruled that Thames Valley Police's internal affairs department had not brought enough evidence against him saying that the video footage was from 2000 and 2001. The Crown could not prove that he was lying about his injury in 1998.

The Police Authority, however, can still sue Mr Bond in the civil courts.