NORWICH, UK (26 August 2008) — A police officer with 13 years service has admitted defrauding an insurance company of more than £2,000. PC Stephen Price, 43, who now lives in Lancashire but was working for Norfolk Constabulary at the time of the offence, admitted fraud by false representation at Norwich Crown Court today. Prosecutor Simon Thomas told the court that Price and his former partner Berit Hedegaard had conspired to submit a false claim to AA Insurance Services. The claim was for more than £2,000 of underwater camera equipment they claimed they had lost while scuba diving at Whitlingham Country Park in April, 2007. Mr Thomas said Price had researched the price of the equipment on his work computer, had email conversations with Hedegaard about the claim and faxed the documents to the insurance company. However, Michael Clare, mitigating, said: "It was her claim and there came a point when he realised that he was helping in a fraudulent claim but by then he was in too deep." Mr Clare added that Price, who had been serving in Diss, had been suspended by Norfolk police and his career would now come to an end because of his guilty plea. Judge Peter Jacobs sentenced Price to 180 hours community service and ordered him to pay £1,000 costs. He added: "You have been a very foolish man but you have also been a dishonest man." Both Hedegaard and Price were arrested by officers from the Norfolk Constabulary Anti-Corruption Unit on January 18, 2008 as part of their criminal investigation. At the time of the offence Hedegaard was a civilian police worker employed within the contact and dispatch centre at Norfolk Police Headquarters. She admitted a similar fraud offence earlier this year and received 200 hours community service and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to AA Insurance Services Ltd. Following her conviction Hedegaard left the employment of Norfolk police. Steven Fernandes from the professional standards department at Norfolk Constabulary, said: "It is always disappointing when employees of the Norfolk Constabulary are convicted of criminal offences. | 
