Detective 'helped get revenge on car crook'

Nov 10 2009 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

A DETECTIVE helped his friend organise a revenge attack on a car thief, a court was told yesterday.

Det Con Gordon Crockett is alleged to have illegally accessed the police computer to help Shaun Barnfather track down a man suspected of breaking into his parents’ car.

Crockett, who was working for Sunderland CID at the time, is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of misconduct in public office and assault.

Prosecutors claim he accessed police intelligence to tip off Barnfather about the whereabouts of the suspect so he could attack him.

Paul Brook, prosecuting, said: “DC Crockett misused his position as a police officer to assist his friend.

“It’s not for police officers to go round helping their friends to give out some rough justice because they are upset.

“That’s not the police are here for, they are here to arrest people, gather evidence and try people in the courts.

“They are not here to give out rough justice because they can’t find the evidence.”

Barnfather’s parents’ car had been broken into and a bag stolen on June 15 this year and he turned to his detective friend to help set up an attack on the suspect, the court heard.

Crockett is accused of accessing information about the suspect and of being in the same Sunderland shopping centre as Barnfather when he assaulted the man.

Mr Brook told jurors Crockett had been seen following the victim of the attack in the Bridges Shopping Centre shortly before it took place.

He said: “The man turned round and was attacked from behind by Barnfather.

“He was choking him from behind and he fell to the ground.

“Barnfather said: ‘That’s what you get for pinching me ma’s bag’. The man could see Crockett watching from a distance down a side lane.”

The court heard the detective had been working in Sunderland city centre since April last year and his duties included accessing the confidential police intelligence computer.

Crockett, 27, denies misconduct between July and October 2008 and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on July 3.

Barnfather, 27, of no fixed address, has admitted assault but denies procuring misconduct in public office between July and October 2008.