Former Pc was guilty of gross misconduct

FALSE RECORDS RELATING TO ALLEGED MUSHROOM PICKER

- By TOM MACK [e-mail] @TOMmack

A DISHONEST police officer "deliberately" recorded false information on official records relating to a woman who was allegedly picking mushrooms at Bradgate Park.

Pc Christopher Vickers, who had been with the force since 2004, went to speak with the woman after police were called to reports of a person cutting mushrooms at the park.

Taking mushrooms from Bradgate Park is illegal as it is a designated site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

Pc Vickers went to the woman's address to interview her about taking the mushrooms, but she was not at home.

He told the woman's husband he was going to issue a community resolution to her and got him to sign it.

However, Pc Vickers did not speak to the woman herself and filed the community resolution anyway, in breach of the rules, to avoid what he saw as "unnecessary work".