A POLICE officer withdrew hundreds of pounds from his grandmother-in-law’s account before reporting it to the bank as fraud, a professional standards hearing was told.

PC Stephen Watson, who is based at Durrington Police Station, was accused of misconduct yesterday at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes.

The 41-year-old is accused by the Professional Standards Department of withdrawing money from Joyce Fields’ bank account on two separate occasions before phoning Barclays bank at her request and reporting £450 being taken fraudulently.

The hearing was told that on November 22, 2013, PC Watson withdrew £200 at a cashpoint at a Tesco superstore in Littlehampton while on a shopping trip for Mrs Fields. Then on November 28 he left a family gathering to withdraw £250 from her account at a cash machine in Wick Parade, Littlehampton, the hearing was told.

Six days later he attended Mrs Fields’ home after she became concerned by the £200 transaction from November 22.

The hearing was told that Mrs Fields is in her eighties and has the early stages of dementia.

PC Watson, who joined the force as a special constable in 2003, was asked to call the bank on her behalf and told Barclays staff that Mrs Fields did not know how the transaction was made.

After relaying questions and answers between bank staff and Mrs Fields, PC Watson then told the bank security team she wanted the two transactions (worth £450) declared fraudulent – failing to tell them he made the transactions and denying he knew her pin, the hearing was told.

Barclays was due to credit her account with the £450 before a criminal investigation was launched.

Reading the misconduct charges the officer, Martin Forshaw, for Sussex Police Professional Standards Department, said: “Constable it is alleged your discreditable behaviour breached honesty and integrity.

“You reported transactions to Barclays Banks as suspicious/fraudulent, not telling them it was you who had withdrawn the money – Mrs Fields consent or otherwise.

“That when asked by the bank whether Mrs Field’s card or PIN was used by any 3rd party, the officer answered ‘no’.

“That when the bank stated the money would be credited to a family members account, the officer failed to tell them it was him who withdrew the money – with or without Mrs Field’s consent.

“Based on information set out above if proven or admitted your behaviour amounts to gross misconduct.” 

Mr Forshaw added: “It raises questions of discreditable conduct because anyone hearing a police officer off duty has misrepresented a situation to a bank in this way would have grave concerns about their ability to perform as a police officer.”

PC Watson claimed Mrs Fields asked him to get the cash both times and he didn’t remember he made the transactions until after the call to the bank.

His barrister Mark Aldred said the officer was acting as an "interpreter" during the phone call.

He said: “The officer could have found himself on the wrong end of an allegation for perverting the court of justice. Because this is a report of a crime, which he quite rightly didn’t interfere with.”

It comes after a criminal complaint was made and PC Watson was suspended from the force in December 2013.

He was charged with six offences of fraud involving theft of money totalling £920 from a woman known to him.

During a trial at Maidstone Crown Court in October 2014 he pleaded not guilty to all charges but the jury was discharged. In a second trial in June 2015 the jury could not reach a verdict.

In his third trial in March 2016, a judge instructed the jury to return a not guilty verdict and he was acquitted of the charges.

The former McDonald’s manager was later reinstated on restricted duties. 

The hearing has been adjourned until June 21.