Judge ridicules trial of detective Julie Hays

Mar 16 2010 by Neil McKay, The Journal

A POLICEWOMAN is to face court action over the theft of four items of clothing she was meant to destroy, despite a judge describing a prosecution claim as “ridiculous”.

Julie Hays, a 39-year-old detective constable with Northumbria Police, will face a trial at Durham Crown Court on July 6 at a cost to the public purse likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Yesterday, the Crown Prosecution Service insisted on proceeding with the case despite Judge Christopher Prince repeatedly questioning its barrister as to whether it was “in the public interest”.

Hays is accused of theft of two jackets and two pairs of shoes on July 21 last year.

The items of clothing – believed to have been evidence from a criminal investigation – were due to be burnt, the court heard yesterday.

Paul Newcombe, for the prosecution, argued that the items in question were valued at £1,200, only for the judge to say: “That is ridiculous. Their value is zero, that is why they were going in the bin.”