Almería

Policeman facing jail for fraud

By Euro Weekly News Media • 14 January 2017 • 13:00

JAIL SENTENCE: Being sought as well as a fine.

A GUARDIA CIVIL officer and another person are on trial at an Almeria court this week accused of cheating a scrapyard owner out of almost €64,500.

The Public Prosecutor is requesting a seven-year jail sentence for fraud and making threats for the defendant, who he accuses of masquerading as a representative of an engineering firm.

The prosecution claimed that the officer, a member of the Seprona nature protection branch of the police force, and a second man took advantage of their positions to persuade their victim to take out contracts for adaption projects.

The yard owner had already contracted another engineering company to adapt his three scrapyards to new regulations, yet the defendant persuaded him to cancel these and make the changes through him and his friend. His contacts with the Junta de Andalucia regional government’s Environmental department would speed up the process, the defendant allegedly promised.

The business owner handed over cheques and cash for a total of almost €64,500 and only became aware that something was wrong when the engineering studio contacted him to demand payment, explaining that the studies had been ordered by the policeman but no money had been handed over.

To get to the bottom of the situation the victim met the defendant, yet his complaints of the situation were met with threats to close his businesses.

Along with the jail sentence, the prosecution has requested €61,476 in damages for the victim and a fine of €12 per day for 11 months for the policeman and a three-year jail sentence for his alleged accomplice.