Police manager admits stealing more than £2,000

A police staff member has been given a community order after he admitted stealing more than £2,000 from work.

David Houghton, a manager in West Yorkshire Police's digital print unit, pleaded guilty to one count of theft by employee at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Four other charges of theft by employee were dropped.

Houghton, 59, was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and told to repay the £2,130 he stole.

Police said Houghton's offence came to light following an investigation by counter-corruption officers, after an internal audit had raised concerns.

Det Ch Supt Tanya Wilkins said Houghton, of Bradford Road in Wakefield, remained suspended from duty, pending misconduct proceedings.

She said: "This staff member abused the position of trust he was in as a manager.

"The public should rightly expect certain ethical values from our officers and staff, and he has fallen well below our standards, letting down the colleagues he worked alongside."

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