PC leaves Thames Valley Police over car insurance 'dishonesty'

Image source, Thames Valley Police

Image caption, PC Sutherland was accused of breaching the force's professional standards during a hearing at Thames Valley Police's Kidlington headquarters

A police officer who lied about where he lived to save money on his car insurance has left the force.

It emerged that Slough-based PC Nathan Sutherland had told insurers he was living in Chichester after he was stopped for speeding last year.

Thames Valley Police said the officer would have been dismissed straight away if he had not handed in his resignation first.

A disciplinary panel found his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

False statements

PC Sutherland was accused of breaching the force's professional standards during a hearing at Thames Valley Police's Kidlington headquarters on Monday.

A force spokesman said the constable had been fined 拢600 by a court in June for making false statements to gain insurance after being stopped in his car by officers in January.

The spokesman added: "At the time of the stop, PC Sutherland's car was registered to a Slough address, but the vehicle was insured to an address in Chichester.

"This was in order to save PC Sutherland money on an insurance premium."

Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell said PC Sutherland had been "dishonest" and that he "would have been aware of the harm this would cause to the reputation of the force".