A serving Met officer has been jailed for stealing £80 from a wallet that had been handed into the police.
PC Mohammad Ghalayini, 33, who is attached to North Area Command Unit, was sentenced to 22 months of imprisonment and was imposed a fine of £3,000 at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (31).
Last month, Ghalayini was found guilty of theft and perverting the course of justice by the court.
The theft was reported by his colleague who discovered that £80 was missing from a wallet that had been handed into police, according to reports.
The incident took place on 12 November 2020, when a member of the public handed the wallet over to the police.
The officer was arrested on 24 March 2021 following an investigation by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.
He was charged on 25 October 2021 and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court in November last year. Though he denied the charges he was convicted by a jury.
The Met said that the officer has been suspended from duty and will now face an internal misconduct proceedings.
“It is bitterly disappointing that an officer has acted in such a deceitful way. It is really important that people have more trust in us, but actions like this understandably undermine confidence in the police,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who is responsible for policing in North Area which includes Haringey and Enfield.
“Across the Met we are working to clear out those who corrupt us and let down the public.”
