Lambeth policeman fired after taking car he found abandoned

A South London policeman has been fired after taking ownership of an abandoned car.

PS Alan Weddell, attached to Lambeth borough, was charged at a misconduct hearing held on 2 and 3 August.

It was alleged that in January 2015, PS Weddell was asked to trace the owner of a vehicle near his home while off duty. The request came from a member of the public who, being aware that PS Weddell was a serving police officer, expressed concerns that the vehicle appeared to have been abandoned in a private car park at the location.

It was alleged that following this request, PS Weddell carried out checks on the Police National Computer without a proper policing purpose.

Having discovered that the vehicle did not have a current registered keeper, it was further alleged that PS Weddell completed the necessary paperwork to register the vehicle in his name and use it as his own.

The misconduct panel, led by a independent legally qualified chair, found the allegations relating to claiming ownership of the vehicle using information obtained in a professional capacity proven as gross misconduct, and it was ruled that he be dismissed without notice.

The allegation that he carried out a check on the Police National Computer (PNC) without a proper policing purpose was not proven.