A retired detective who was at the centre of a ‘secret justice’ storm after police refused to name him following his arrest has denied stealing £113,000.
Paul Greaves, 54, is accused of swiping the cash from Warwickshire Police’s HQ in Leek Wootton, Warks., where he worked for the force’s financial investigations team.
He was arrested and charged with stealing the money between June 2009 and September 2011 but the force sparked outrage from the public when they refused to reveal his identity.
Warwickshire Police chiefs performed a U-turn less than 24 hours later after claiming their rules on naming suspects had changed in the wake of the Leveson inquiry.
Yesterday he denied one charge of theft when he appeared at Leamington Magistrates Court.
Prosecutors said they had not established the exact amount taken because the confiscated money included foreign currency.
JPs declined jurisdiction over the case due to the large amount of money involved and adjourned the case to be committed to Warwick Crown Court.
During the 15-minute hearing Greaves, wearing a dark suit and silver tie, spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter a not guilty plea.
Prosecutor Robert Meinert said: “The dates on the charges are extensive, over a 27-month period.
“Mr Greaves has an allegation levelled at him he stole cash from police headquarters.
“The amount is not stated in the charges but the prosecution say that Mr Greaves stole a sum in the region of #113,000 in cash.
“The cash was recovered by police in June 2009 and is mostly sterling but includes some foreign currency within that cash.”
Greaves was granted bail and ordered to reside at his new address in Dale Avenue, Carlton, Nottingham.
He was ordered to return to court for the next hearing on July 1.
He was also forbidden from contacting wife Adele, 50, who lives in the couple’s #220,000 semi-detached property in Harbury, near Leamington Spa.
The court heard the couple are currently going through marital proceedings.
Warwickshire Police was forced into an embarrassing U-turn earlier this month after it refused to name Greaves when he was charged.
It later back-tracked and apologised for withholding Greaves’ identity.
His court appearance came a day after Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer slammed controversial proposals to keep arrests secret.
He said he had ‘deep concerns’ about recommendations from the College of Policing which said there should be a blanket ban on naming those arrested.
He said: “I’m not for a blanket rule on arrest. I would certainly want wriggle room to name in certain types of cases.”
