Former police officer in court (From York Press)

Ex policewoman accused of child cancer cash con

9:29am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk

A FORMER Selby police officer has appeared in court accused of conning cash out of her colleagues after claiming her daughter was suffering from leukaemia.

Rachel Hewitt is alleged to have falsely obtained money from fellow employees at North Yorkshire Police and the neighbouring West Yorkshire force between 2009 and 2011, telling them a daughter was undergoing chemotherapy after having tumours removed.

The 39-year-old, who lives in Ash Grove, South Elmsall, was arrested by the North Yorkshire forces professional standards unit last October and appeared before a court for the first time yesterday charged with three offences.

Dressed in a dark suit, Hewitt spoke only to confirm her address during the brief hearing at Hull Magistrates Court.

The first offence she is charged with is one of wilfully neglecting to perform her duty and misconduct while being the holder of a public office. The allegation is of repeated misconduct while working as a police officer and that she “at various times claimed a daughter was ill with cancer” between January 1, 2009, and October 10 last year.

She is also accused of fraud by false representation between the same dates and “intending to cause loss to North Yorkshire Police”, and a separate charge of fraud by false representation specifically relating to an allegation that she claimed a daughter was a cancer sufferer on March 16, again intending to cause loss to the force “or expose a person to a risk of loss”.

Hewitt did not enter a plea to any of the charges and is next due to appear before Hull Crown Court next Wednesday.