DC who made fraudulent council tax claim dismissed without notice

Last month Detective Constable Karen Colbran, 52,  appeared in court accused of stealing £3,255.27 over ten years between 2008 and 2018. She pleaded not guilty but was convicted of fraud in respect of dishonestly claiming a single occupancy discount on council tax when she was not the sole occupier of her property.

She will be sentenced on March 25.

An accelerated misconduct hearing took place at Sussex Police headquarters on March 18 where Det Con Colbran faced an allegation of breaching standards of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct in relation to being convicted of a criminal offence.

The allegation against Det Con Colbran was found to be proven by Chief Constable Jo Shiner, with a decision that she be dismissed.

Ms Shiner said: “We expect our officers to act with the upmost integrity, and in accordance with the force’s values, the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The actions of this officer fell short of that and in accordance with the College of Policing guidance, she has been dismissed without notice.”