Ex-Gwent Police officer barred over 拢34K of gifts from widower
- Published
A police officer had to resign taking more than 拢34k's worth of gifts, including a BMW car, from a widower.
PC Fatou Mendy-Sambou, 28, quit Gwent Police over her "inappropriate relationship", a hearing was told.
The gifts, including jewellery and holidays abroad, were given in the three years after the death of the 87-year-old man's wife.
At the disciplinary hearing Mendy-Sambou, of Newport, admitted her actions amounted to gross misconduct.
The officer - who resigned last August - had met the married pensioner, identified as Mr JB, while working as a carer for his wife in 2014, the hearing at Gwent Police headquarters was told.
But when his wife died a year later, Mendy-Sambou maintained regular contact with Mr JB, both on the phone and in visits to his home.
She received weekly payments of 拢50 and a 拢2,000 holiday to Paris, flights to Gambia, money for a Master's degree and 拢9,000 for a BMW.
Officer Kate Connell, of Gwent Police, told the hearing Mendy-Sambou "initially lied" about being "engaged in an inappropriate relationship" with Mr JB, "dishonestly inventing false stories about the sources of [her] money".
A deposit for a house, a Michael Kors watch, 拢750 towards her police training course and even a fishtank, were also amongst the gifts.
The relationship continued until it came to light last August, when Mendy-Sambou resigned.
PC Connell said: "Your actions in initiating and developing an inappropriate relationship with JB amounted to an abuse of trust and lacked integrity.
"Your conduct as a whole, if known, would bring serious discredit on the police service and undermine public confidence in it, in breach of the standard of Discreditable Conduct.
She added Mendy-Sambou's actions were so serious they amounted to gross misconduct.
Barred from force
Panel chair Susan Davies said: "We are agreed that Miss Mendy-Sambou, had she continued to be a police officer, would have been dismissed without notice."
The hearing was told Mendy-Sambou resigned from Gwent Police in August last year.
Maria Henry, representing the former PC, said: "She admits she behaved in the manner alleged."
The hearing was told Mendy-Sambou admitted that her actions amounted to gross misconduct and her name will now be added to the police barred list.