'Paula will attempt to rebuild her life and her career' — family rally round cleared Tayside Police officer
Tayside Police officer Paula Wales collapsed in tears when she was cleared of a charge of neglect of duty at the end of a four-day trial at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Paula Wales attending court during her trial.
- By Andrew Argo
- Published in the Courier : 09.02.12
- Published online : 09.02.12 @ 10.49am
The case had heard of the 36-year-old's ''infatuation'' with known criminal John Sheridan and her later arrest in front of colleagues at a Dundee police station.
Ms Wales, who was suspended on full pay for two years, had been accused of failing to disclose the mobile number and whereabouts of Mr Sheridan, who had an outstanding warrant against him between November 2009 and April 2010.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane said that while there was no doubt she had known the number and whereabouts of Mr Sheridan, there was insufficient evidence she had known about the warrant.
The trial had heard how Ms Wales — a local intelligence officer at Tayside Police HQ in Dundee with 14 years' experience — had become ''infatuated'' with Mr Sheridan, an old school friend, after striking up a friendship on Facebook in November 2009.
Mr Sheridan was being sought on a means warrant issued at Oban at the time for failing to pay a traffic fine.
The pair had arranged to meet in December 2009 and Ms Wales had visited Mr Sheridan's mother's house in Lochee following a works night out.
The trial heard that the visit had lasted an hour and the couple had ''snogged'' before Ms Wales went on to meet Chief Inspector Sandy Brodie, her ''on-off boyfriend''.
Ms Wales, c/o Tayside Police, was said to have been warned by fellow officers that John Sheridan was a known criminal and had been advised by them that he was not the sort of person to spend time with as a police officer.
Giving evidence, PC Angela McGregor told the court she ''thought'' she had told Ms Wales that she was trying to apprehend Mr Sheridan on a warrant.
Sheriff McFarlane told Ms Wales that he was ''in no doubt'' that she knew the mobile number and whereabouts of Mr Sheridan between the dates listed on the charge against her.
He said: ''As a serving police officer you had a duty to alert colleagues of this. However, the duty could only arise if you knew of the warrant. Witness McGregor said she thinks she told you but I cannot give weight to that.''
Sheriff McFarlane referred to Paul Riley, another colleague of Ms Wales, who had looked at Mr Sheridan's police database entry with her.
The sheriff said: ''If witness Riley had seen such a warrant marker, it would have been the one thing he could have used to persuade you not to associate with John Sheridan.''
The sheriff concluded: ''I am not satisfied you were aware of the warrant and accordingly find you not guilty.''
At the end of the two-year investigation that turned her life upside-down, Paula Wales fell into the arms of her former partner Sandy Brodie and had to be helped from the courtroom by family members.
Minutes later an emotional Mr Brodie, a serving chief inspector with Tayside Police, criticised his own force.
Continued...
03.18pm - 09.02.2012 Iain Wallace - Dundee, Scotland Report This
It would appear that Tayside Police appear in court on charges almost on a monthly basis now, its time the Force was internally investigated, to restore the public’s confidence.
08.19pm - 10.02.2012 Derek - Dundee, United Kingdom Report This
Lots of similar problems with officers off on paid leave for months or even years back in Canada as well, Iain.
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