West Mercia Police’s HQ, Hindlip Hall, where Ethan Aherne used to work (Picture: BPM Media)
A former police officer who claimed to be off sick with a bad back was caught playing rugby by his colleagues.
Ethan Aherne, 28, quit his job at West Merica Police in September 2023 after just 15 months of service before his bosses could sack him, Kidderminster Magistrates Court heard today.
The hearing heard Aherne ‘betrayed hard working’ colleagues at the force by ‘taking his pay cheque’ whilst they were ‘serving victims of crime’.
As part of the investigation, officers from the anti-corruption unit travelled to Cardiff to watch Aherne play rugby.
The panel was chaired by Chief Constable Alex Murray who said: ‘Ethan Aherne’s deception was calculated and totally immoral.
‘He exploited and abused the welfare systems in place within the force to support officers and staff who have genuine physical health issues.
‘He also betrayed all the hard working officers of West Mercia Police, taking his pay cheque whilst they would be engaged in work serving victims of crime that he should have been doing.
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‘I’d like to thank the team in the anti-corruption unit who led the investigation into Aherne, and secured evidence which was instrumental in securing the criminal convictions against him.
‘Officers like Aherne have no place in policing and he will now be added to the College of Policing’s Barred List banning him from working for a UK police service in the future.’
On the September 29 2023, following a guilty plea, he was convicted by
Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court of fraud by false representation.
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