No retrial for PC accused of theft (From Surrey Comet)

No retrial for PC Julian Lovegrove accused of £75 theft

11:52am Tuesday 25th January 2011 in Top stories By Paul Teed

A police officer accused of stealing £75 cash handed in by a member of the public will not face a retrial, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said today.

PC Julian Lovegrove, 33, was said to have taken three £20 notes, one £10 and one £5 that Gustavo Reimann found at a petrol station near Hampton Court Palace.

But a jury at Winchester Crown Court was unable to reach a verdict following a trial two weeks ago and the officer, who denies theft, walked free.

Surrey Police said the CPS had a week to decide whether to order a retrial but has decided it was “not appropriate”.

The court heard Mr Reimann gave the Surrey officer the cash outside Esher police station in October 2009, but the constable did not register it as lost.