Ex-police officer sentenced over false gunman claim

Craig Moffitt pleaded guilty for perverting the course of justice

A former police constable who falsely claimed he had been issued with a death threat and a masked man had confronted him with a shotgun has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Craig Moffitt, 37, sparked an attempted murder investigation in January 2020 when he claimed a gunman confronted him at his home in County Fermanagh.

In April, he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Moffitt had claimed a woman told him a named man had "arranged to have him done in".

The 37-year-old, whose address was given as a PSNI station in Portadown, County Armagh, had said while at home he was confronted at his front door by a masked man with a shotgun in the early hours of the morning.

He claimed the gun was pointed at him but had failed to fire.

An attempted murder investigation was immediately launched, during the early hours of 2 January 2020 in Kesh, which resulted in the arrest of a man, who was later released without charge.

The court heard that whilst working as a constable in the PSNI, Moffitt falsely claimed to police colleagues that he had been approached by the girlfriend of an 'identified individual'.

Moffitt claimed that the woman told him the 'identified individual' - who was her boyfriend - had arranged to have him killed and an intelligence report was lodged.

Branding this claim as a "lie", Judge Sherrard revealed that on January 2, 2020 Moffitt "doubled down on that lie" by falsely reporting in a 999 call that a man has appeared at his home armed with a gun and tried to shoot him.

Due to Moffitt's allegations, the man he named was arrested, his home was searched and his girlfriend was interviewed.

When it transpired Moffitt's claims were false, he was interviewed in February 2020.

At this stage, Moffitt maintained the false account - but later admitted the charge of perverting the course of justice.

Moffitt is now employed in the hospitality sector.

During today's sentencing it emerged that Moffitt knew the 'identified individual' from a previous investigation.

Judge Brian Sherrard branded the incident a "stupid error".

'Warped by alcohol'

At Dungannon Crown Court sitting in Belfast, a defence counsel said Moffitt's actions were “a cry for help while his mind was warped by alcohol.

"It appears he wanted to engender sympathy from other individuals.”

Judge Sherrard told Moffitt: “This was a serious offence which carries a potential life imprisonment.

"Your motivation is unclear but in seems likely you were somehow trying to impress or gain sympathy from a female colleague with whom you were in a relationship, although you deny that.”

He said the fact that this "emanated from a police officer is highly significant and your actions were in breach of the duty of trust placed in you by our community".

However, taking into consideration the immediate acceptance of guilt at court and Moffitt’s previously clear record, the judge said the16-month prison sentence he imposed could be suspended for three years.

Separately, it emerged Moffitt had been leading an investigation into a case of perverting the course of justice at the time of the alleged incident.

He was subsequently replaced and it was later confirmed he was no longer a serving officer.

In a statement after sentencing, the PSNI said Moffitt's actions were in stark contrast to the standards demanded by the force and the public.

Chief Superintendent Stephen Wright, the Head of Police Service Professional Standards Department, said: "Once his offending came to light, Moffitt was rightly dismissed... in June 2021 following an investigation [by professional standards], which ran alongside the criminal investigation.

"No-one is above the law and we, as a Police Service, will not tolerate any form of criminality or wrongdoing by our officers or staff."