PC denies dishonesty
An Attleborough police constable who has denied 12 offences of wilful misconduct in public office, told Norwich Crown Court this week he had never been dishonest about anything.
Dominic De Souza, 31, of Attleborough, is alleged to have issued cannabis warnings and cautions for possessing offensive weapons to teenagers under 18 in the Wymondham area to boost the number of crimes he detected and it is claimed he altered dates of birth in order to do so.
Giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr De Souza, who previously worked for the Met dealing with drugs and cannabis warnings, claimed people in Wymondham had a pretty easy time before he started working there, smoking cannabis when they wanted. He claimed they knew the law and would give false details saying they were over 18 so they would get away with a warning and not have to go to the police station.
He said in hindsight filling out cannabis warning forms was not his strong point. “My intentions at all time was to write the correct details down on the forms,” he said and “I have never been dishonest about anything.”
In interviews read to the court, Mr De Souza had said: “I question why the people I gave warnings to have not asked why their details on the forms were not correct?”
Earlier in the week, PC Holly Whitehead said she attended a house in Wymondham with Mr De Souza when he had asked the person concerned to sign a form for the destruction of a cannabis grinder without explaining to him he had received a formal cannabis warning. She was confused and told her supervisor.
The case continues.
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Weather for Diss
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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