Surrey Police officer Amanda Aston accused of fraud

Amanda Aston is alleged to have misled a criminal investigation in Guildford

A Surrey Police officer has appeared in court accused of perverting the course of justice and fraud.

It is alleged Amanda Aston, 42, provided false and misleading information during a criminal investigation into a sergeant.

Ms Aston, from Seaford, East Sussex, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

She was not asked to enter pleas to any of the charges, and her case was adjourned to Maidstone Crown Court.

Ms Aston is charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud in Guildford between September 2017 and June 2018.

She allegedly provided false and misleading information to police in September 2017 in connection with a probe into whether Sgt Matthew Taylor had committed a crime.

Ms Aston is also accused of encouraging Sgt Taylor to breach his bail conditions, and providing false and misleading information in connection with an investigation between September 2017 and March 2018.

The fraud charge alleges the officer made a false representation to the Surrey Police welfare fund, which offers financial help to serving and retired officers and staff, in June 2018.

She is said to have claimed the behaviour of Sgt Taylor "had caused financial hardship".

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