Former Met Police Officer jailed for perverting the course of justice

11/12/2012

Former Metropolitan Police Service policeman Ian Betts was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Southend Crown Court yesterday (10 December 2012) for perverting the course of justice.

Ian Elkins, CPS East of England District Crown Prosecutor, said: "Betts created a false letter that supposedly came from the County Court, which was sent to Essex Police in an attempt to get his ex-partner arrested.

"The letter was found on his computer but he denied he was responsible for it. However, he could not explain who else would have an interest in trying to get his former partner arrested.

"This was a serious attempt by someone who was at the time a serving police officer to get an innocent person arrested, which fortunately was not successful."

Betts had denied the offence but was convicted after a trial at Basildon Crown Court in October 2012.

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