Jail for PC who claimed for wife’s gems he stole

Ahmed stood trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court where he was found guilty of stealing jewellery between January 2011 and December 2012. Picture: John Devlin

Nadim Ahmed, 29, reported to fellow officers that jewels and some electrical equipment had gone missing from his home.

He lodged a claim with his insurance company for £11,500 and provided a statement to a colleague. But his distraught wife later found her jewellery stashed in his car with receipts from a pawnbroker and confronted him.

Ahmed stood trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court where he was found guilty of stealing jewellery between January 2011 and December 2012, wasting police time and attempting to defraud Direct Line insurance.

He denied the charges and claimed his wife knew he pawned her jewellery to relieve money problems and was just trying to get him into bother.

Sheriff Brian Adair told him: “As a serving police officer I found your evidence to be untruthful. You regularly avoided answering the simplest of questions. I did not believe your evidence.”

Passing sentence, the sheriff said: “No other method of dealing with you is appropriate other than prison, in view of the nature of the charges, in particular the serious effect and loss to your wife in charge one.”

In evidence, Bushra Ahmed recalled becoming aware of the missing jewels when her sister came to borrow some in December 2012.

The 30-year-old stored the expensive items in the loft of the couple’s home in the city’s Possilpark area – but when she went to check, they were gone.

The haul included her engagement ring as well necklace sets, bangles and other gems.

Bushra said: “I initially thought I must have put it elsewhere. I started looking everywhere, but could not find it.”

Ahmed, who has six years police service, later made inquiries about making an insurance claim which he then cancelled without his wife knowing.

His call was played to the court and the lying policeman seemed to suggest a man called “Dave” – whom he hired to fix a TV aerial in his loft – could be responsible.

Bushra said: “I was really upset at the time. There was a lot of sentimental value to me.

“He [Ahmed] told me that, being a police officer, he would deal with it.”

Bushra said she was later left stunned when – during a last-ditch attempt at finding the jewels – she made a discovery in Ahmed’s car.

The computer software specialist recalled: “I was surprised. I peered inside and there were red boxes.

“I recognised them as my jewellery boxes.”

The court heard that one box was empty, but in the other was a necklace she had been given by Ahmed as a wedding gift.