Former Met officer jailed for theft from dead man

PC Craig Carter took money from the wallet of a man who died in the street

A former Metropolitan Police officer has been jailed for 16 months for stealing cash from a man who collapsed and died in the street.

PC Craig Carter, of Harlow, Essex, stole about £115 from Italian filmmaker and actor Claudio Gaetani between 7 and 14 September 2022.

A court previously heard how Carter took money from Mr Gaetani's wallet after he was sent to collect personal items from him after he collapsed and died while cycling to north London to visit friends.

Carter was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office earlier this year.

An 'abhorrent' crime

Mr Gaetani, from Marche, was reportedly visiting London for a theatre festival at the Southbank Centre when he collapsed.

Carter, 51, who worked in Enfield and Haringey boroughs, was suspended from duty after the investigation began and dismissed from the force in August after 23 years service.

Judge Kalyani Kaul KC described Carter's year career, and noted that he has raised two daughters and has a "strong" marriage with his wife.

She then told him: "On the 7th of September, two years ago, you threw all of that away."

"Mr Gaetani was in the most vulnerable position any human being could be in - deceased and alone.

"Your crime, as I said in this case, was abhorrent. Mr Gaetani was in a very vulnerable position. You have let down your entire community."

The court heard that PC Carter's body-worn camera was found to have recorded him counting around £115 worth of cash in Mr Gaetani's wallet while he was sitting in a police car, along with some euros and loose change.

However, he only logged a small amount of money in police records which he later said was about £6 and six euros, prosecutor Helena Duong said.

A friend of Mr Gaetani's friend, who had subsequently taken his possessions, complained that money was missing, the court heard.

PC saved someone's life

When Carter later interviewed by police, he reiterated that the wallet contained about £6 and six euros, the prosecution said.

Ms Duong said that Carter told officers: "I deny the allegation and I'm appalled by the suggestion that I would steal money from anyone, let alone a dead man."

The court heard that during his service, Carter had responded to the 7/7 London bombings in 2005, the Westminster Bridge terror attack on 22 March 2017, as well as the Tottenham riots in 2011.

He also once saved the life of someone who had been attacked with a machete, the court was told.