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.
“There are so many irregularities in this case it is inconceivable that they are accidental in what should have been a professional and high-standard investigation,” he said. “I have every confidence that the truth will eventually be established.”
Her current partner Colin Speight said: “Paula has always known she was not guilty. She is a dedicated police constable and she is determined she will get back to the job.
“She has been through a lot and she now needs some peace and quiet so she can re-evaluate what has gone on and rebuild her life again.”
Her father David Webster said: ”The correct verdict was given today. Paula has had nightmares about the time when she was arrested and her health has suffered. On behalf of Paula, I would like to take this opportunity to thank her legal team for their professionalism and Paula’s family, friends and the Police Federation Tayside Joint Branch Board who stood by her side when she really needed them.
”When her health permits, Paula will attempt to rebuild her life and her career. However, there are still many, many questions that remain unanswered about this whole investigation and, more importantly, the reasons it was initiated and pursued in the manner it was.
”Should it be too much to ask that Tayside Police will find the same zeal to answer them as they did to find anything they thought they could to incriminate her?”
Police Federation secretary for Tayside David Hamilton said: ”I’m absolutely delighted for Paula. This two-year nightmare has finally come to an end. She’s now desperate to get back to work. It’s natural for all officers coming back from a long period of suspension to feel some apprehension but that’s something the federation will support her with.”
Sergeant Hamilton criticised how slow the case had been to bring to trial and Ms Wales’ long suspension from duty.
Commenting on the number of recent high-profile trials involving Tayside Police officers, he said: ”Police officers have to be accountable to the law. It’s investigated and driven by the Crown Office. We will support all officers through these proceedings to make sure they get the best representation.”
Ms Wales, who declined to comment as she left court, now waits to find out if she will face an internal police investigation into the matter.
A Tayside Police spokesman said: ”We acknowledge the verdict of Sheriff McFarlane in Dundee today. The matter will now be referred to the Deputy Chief Constable for further consideration.”
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…
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…