Met Police officer admits stealing from man’s body as he lay dead in middle of street

Craig Carter has pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct in a public office (Image: PA)

Metropolitan Police officer Craig Carter, 51, has pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to misconduct in public office after stealing money from a man who died after collapsing.

Claudio Gaetani is thought to have suffered a heart attack during morning rush hour while cycling to meet an Italian couple he was staying with in Hornsey, north London, in September 2022.

PC Carter, of Harlow, Essex, pleaded guilty on Friday to misconduct in public office after stealing around £115 from Gaetani between September 7 and 14, 2022, MailOnline reports.

The charge stated that he “took for his own use money from a wallet received by him in evidence in relation to a sudden death”.

Claudio Gaetani (Image: Facebook)

The money was allegedly stolen while Gaetani lay dead on a street in Haringey, north London, for six hours while officers awaited the arrival of an undertaker.

Gaetani had only arrived in the UK the night before for a theatre festival in the Southbank.

At Wood Green Crown Court today, Judge Daniel Fugallo addressed the officer and said: “I have to make absolutely clear that an immediate custodial sentence seems the likely outcome in this case.”

PC Carter, who is based with the Met’s North Area Command Unit in the Enfield and Haringey area, was granted unconditional bail ahead of his sentencing at the same court on September 13.

He has been suspended from duty during proceedings.

Once sentenced Carter will face separate Met Police misconduct proceedings which could see him dismissed from the force and permamnetly barred from being a police officer anywhere in the UK.

Detective Superintendent Marco Bardetti said: “It is clear from today’s guilty plea that PC Carter knows what he did was wrong and falls well below what any of us would expect from a police officer. The evidence against him could not be denied.

“In September 2022, PC Carter was responsible for looking after a man who had sadly died in the street, as well as taking responsibility for his personal possessions.

“A family, struggling to come to terms with the death of a loved one, should not be put in a position where they have to make a complaint against an officer, suspecting that they have taken money.

“The Met is not an organisation that will tolerate such behaviour.”

Tetteh Turkson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The vast majority of police officers are viewed by members of the public as trustworthy, responsible and upstanding members of our society. Craig Carter fell woefully short of these expectations.

“The fact Carter thought he could freely steal from a victim who had sadly passed away is not only disturbing, but deeply disrespectful to the victim’s family. Our thoughts remain with them at this time.

“After collaborative work from the CPS and Metropolitan Police Service, Carter was left with no option but to plead guilty and face the consequences of his actions.”

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