CPS name charged man despite Warwickshire Police refusal

WARWICKSHIRE Police is at the centre of an 'open justice' storm this morning over its refusal to name a retired former officer charged with stealing £113,000 from police headquarters.

The force revealed on Wednesday afternoon (May 2) a 54-year-old man from the Stratford area had been charged with the theft - from the former Warwickshire Police headquarters at Leek Wootton in 2011 - adding he would appear before magistrates in Leamington on May 22.

But in a stunning move, the force added that due to a recent "change in policy" it would not be releasing the name of the man charged until the day before the court appearance.

On Thursday morning the Crown Prosecution Service named the officer as Paul Andrew Greaves, despite Warwickshire Police's refusal.

On Wednesday night the line relating to the policy change was removed from the police statement, but not before the story had been picked up by national media and spread around the country via social networking website Twitter.

While the force was not responding to requests for comment last night, its deputy chief constable Neil Brunton ‏took to Twitter to claim: "The policy was recently changed to align with national policy post Leverson and not because of today's outcome."

Later, in a force statement seen by Warwickshire radio journalist Darryl Murphy, they claimed they no longer named those charged because of 'new ACPO guidelines', adding the policy was introduced in mid-April.

It also claimed the policy was changed because it was the only force in the region naming people when charged - though as recently as last week West Midlands Police was still naming people charged with crimes.

Warwickshire Police also said they no longer named people charged because of a risk they would be targeted by vigilantes and in case charges were dropped.

The Daily Telegraph, picking up the story, quoted Kirsty Hughes, the chief executive of the freedom of expression organisation 'Index on Censorship' as saying: "That the police should withhold the name of a former officer who has not only been arrested but charged is worrying.

"Anonymity may be appropriate in certain cases, but a 'policy' of secrecy reverses the principle of open justice that we have in the UK."

Warwickshire Police said in a statement on Thursday morning: "The force may name suspects on charge unless it is inappropriate to do so.

"In the case in question it is inappropriate to name the person at this time.

"Following feedback over this issue we will be reviewing our policy and will ensure that it is aligned to national guidelines."

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