A police officer in London has pleaded guilty to fraud, after evidence showed he bought adult content using the cable account of the family whose home he was guarding after the death of their child.
Police Constable Avi Maharaj, 44, admitted guilt before the Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday. He will be sentenced next month.
“PC Maharaj’s behaviour was shocking and even more so given he was guarding the property in the absence of the homeowner,” said Sal Naseem, regional director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).“Not only were his actions deceitful but he caused considerable distress for the family involved who were dealing with the sudden death of a family member.”
A child had died on a property in Earlsfield, a southern suburb of London, in February 2018. Maharaj was the constable on duty, guarding the scene until the undertakers could transport the body. When the family stepped out, he spent £25.96 ($32.50) accessing adult channels – and later may have falsified service logs to try and cover up his actions, an IOPC investigation found.
He was caught after the homeowner questioned the charges on the bill, and the investigation found that PC Maharaj was the only person inside the house at the time the purchases were made.
Also on rt.com UK govt unveils plan to teach school kids about ‘fake news’... What could go wrong?“I am sorry that the family involved had to deal with this while also coping with the tragic loss of their child,” said Naseem.
After sentencing, Maharaj will also face charges of gross misconduct brought by Scotland Yard.
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