SENIOR police officers have praised a North Yorkshire constable who is on trial accused of attempted insurance fraud.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Victoria Lacy, 24, a Scarborough-based officer of five years' experience, was described as "a very bright and very committed officer".

But she was also said by defence witnesses, including her bosses and her mother, Linda, to be disorganised when it came to paperwork.

Acting Chief Superintendent David Short, eastern area commander with North Yorkshire Police, said: "She was a very bright and very committed officer. In fact, for an officer of such a few years of service, she had gathered quite a lot of experience."

He told the court her ability to work on her own initiative and to communicate, particularly with younger members of the community, had seen her picked as community officer for Scarborough's Old Town area.

But as "a very fit and keen officer" she had also put herself forward for public order, or riot squad, training as she was keen to be involved with frontline policing.

He also told how she had shown "considerable courage" in dealing with a seriously injured stab victim, managing to detain his attacker at the same time.

Chief Inspector Steve Tarn, who Lacy has worked for, said he was impressed by her commitment to the job.

But he said her keenness meant she would often take too much on and could become "distressed" as she struggled with the resulting paperwork.

Lacy is accused of trying to obtain £154 by deception from Legal & General Insurance Ltd on July 19, last year, by making a false claim that a set of golf clubs had been stolen in a burglary at her home in Curlew Drive, Scarborough, and that a replacement set had been bought for that sum.

The allegation centres on a letter she sent to her insurers with a receipt for a new mountain bike, which she had bought to replace one stolen in the burglary, and a receipt given to her by police colleague PC Andrew Standing for golf clubs he had bought for himself.

Her letter said she had bought the clubs at Snainton Golf Centre as replacements for those stolen and that PC Standing had paid on his credit card and she had reimbursed him.

When cross-examined, Lacy, who denies the charge, told the court: "I have been nave, I have been stupid, I have been dizzy, but I have not been dishonest."

She insisted she had become "muddled" after her insurers at first said she could not claim for golf equipment and then said she could. She said they had repeatedly telephoned her and she was just keen to get the money for her bike.

The court heard that at the time, Lacy had been serving as part of a "riot squad" during the unrest in Bradford and had also been trying to find time for a community policing project she was in charge of.

The trial continues

Updated: 11:52 Wednesday, July 31, 2002