Police Officer Dismissed After Spending £30,000 of Elderly Neighbour’s Money

A police officer has been sacked after a misconduct hearing found he exploited the trust of his elderly neighbour and spent around £30,000 using her bank card.

Former PC Gary Carson made unauthorised purchases including takeaways, shopping, toiletries, equipment and other personal items between 2020 and 2023, a disciplinary panel heard.

The hearing also found he failed to report safeguarding concerns despite the woman, who has since died, living in poor conditions at her home.

Carson denied wrongdoing and said he had been helping his neighbour, but the panel ruled his actions were deliberate and breached professional standards.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to bring criminal charges, but Merseyside Police confirmed he had been dismissed following the gross misconduct finding.

The force said Carson’s actions had damaged public confidence and that he had taken advantage of a vulnerable person who trusted him.