Ex-Gloucestershire fire chief to stand trial over Land Rover fraud charge

Stewart Edgar was a senior fire officer in his native Scotland before he moved to Gloucestershire

The former Gloucestershire chief fire officer will stand trial after pleading not guilty to fraudulently selling himself a brigade vehicle.

Stewart Edgar appeared before Gloucester Crown Court via Skype to answer to the charge of fraud by abuse of his position.

The 52-year-old is alleged to have sold a Land Rover to a company he was connected to for £500, turning down a separate offer of more than £8,000.

He is set to face trial in November.

The charge alleges he dishonestly abused his position by arranging for a company called Emergency One to submit an offer of £500 for the Land Rover Defender, without informing the brigade the offer had been submitted on his behalf.

Mr Edgar, of Braehead Drive in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, pleaded not guilty to the single charge.

Judge Michael Cullum said he had been notified the defence wanted the case transferred away from Gloucester due to local publicity but added he would not move the trial at this stage.

Mr Edgar was bailed pending a further plea and case management hearing on 25 September, followed by a trial expected to last 10 days in November.

He was appointed head of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in 2014 and resigned in 2018.