A TOP Island police officer accused of moonlighting as a project manager on a construction site and using his force’s uniform to get a better price for stolen goods he was selling has been dramatically cleared half way through his two-week trial, after new evidence came to light.
Guildford Crown Court had been told acting Insp Jason Bolwell, 41, was working on a Brighstone holiday home development for Greek telecoms millionaire Dr Tacis Gavoyannis, when he was supposed to be on duty with Hampshire Constabulary.
A key part of the evidence surrounded Mr Bolwell allegedly trying to sell an Aga cooker and roofing slates behind the site owner’s back. A prospective purchaser of the cooker was injured while on the development at Mill House, Mill Lane, in November 2006.
Five days into the trial an e-mail came to light from the police officer to Dr Gavoyannis, sent two days after the incident, informing him a man had been on site looking at the slates and an Aga when he had had an accident. This proved that Mr Bolwell had been open about the incident and that Dr Gavoyannis was aware the items were being sold.
The jury formally entered not guilty verdicts on charges of misconduct in public office, three charges of theft and one count of doing an act tending or intending to pervert the course of public justice between September 2006 and January 2007.
Mr Bolwell, of Amherst Place, Ryde, who had consistently denied the charges, left the court without blame but will face a separate trial on April 6 for allegedly falsifying loans forms submitted to Hampshire Constabulary Welfare Fund.