Police officers ‘stole £30,000 in raid’, court hears

Police officers 'stole £30,000 in raid'
Michael Stokes is among the accused
 (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Three serving police officers are accused of stealing £30,000 following a raid.
Former detective sergeant Stephen Phillips and constables Philip Christopher Evans and Michael Stokes took some of the cash from two safes found in a house they raided in 2011, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Peter Griffiths QC said the remainder was then taken by Phillips and Stokes while they performed the formal count in a police station.
Phillips, 47, of Swansea, is accused of four counts of theft while Evans, 38, of Llangennech, and 35-year-old Stokes, of Glynneath, both face two charges.
All three deny the charges against them.
Three corrupt police officers stole £30,000 cash seized raid on suspected criminals, a court heard. Former Detective Sergeant Stephen Phillips, Det Con Anthony Stokes and Det Con Chris Evans were accused of being "bad apples" in their police force. Pictured here is Christopher Evans © WALES NEWS SERVICE
Christopher Evans (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Mr Griffiths described the defendants as ‘bad apples’ of South Wales Police.
He said: ‘In this country we have a police force which we are proud of. It’s a fundamentally well run and long-established public body comprised of numerous men and women who are expected to carry out their duties to the highest standard.

‘Honesty and integrity are the bedrock of public confidence in the police force.
‘Regrettably, there are often a few bad apples … and this case is an illustration of that. It’s a case of police corruption.’

The court heard that Phillips, Evans and Stokes executed a search warrant on a property in Penderry Road, Swansea, four years ago.
Three corrupt police officers stole £30,000 cash seized raid on suspected criminals, a court heard. Former Detective Sergeant Stephen Phillips, Det Con Anthony Stokes and Det Con Chris Evans were accused of being "bad apples" in their police force. Pictured here is Stephen Phillips © WALES NEWS SERVICE
Stephen Phillips (Picture: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
‘Between April 1 and July 21 in 2011 these three defendants stole more than £30,000 in cash from monies which had been contained during the execution of a warrant,’ added Mr Griffiths.
The court heard the first tranche of cash was taken by all three defendants, who acted ‘in concert’ with one another during the raid.

Mr Griffiths told the court the trio all worked for the Welsh force’s organised crime unit and were close friends.
He said they had managed to open one of two safes during a raid and helped themselves to around £12,000 in cash belonging to a man called Joedyn Luben.

The second safe was later opened at a locksmiths in Swansea. The prosecution’s case is that the £1,000 inside, owned by Natalie Luben, was taken by Evans and Stokes.
‘The remainder of the cash was stolen from both safes by Phillips and Stokes on July 21 during the formal count,’ Mr Griffiths added.

Source: Metro Uk

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