A former police officer and West Mercia Police Federation treasurer has been jailed for using colleagues’ funds to pay for family holidays, alcohol, meals and entertainment. Jamie Harrison, 55, from Droitwich, Worcestershire, made more than 100 fraudulent expense claims while serving as the federation’s secretary and treasurer between 2010 and 2018. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), he repeatedly used petty cash under his control for personal spending, keeping claims below £100 to avoid scrutiny. The fraud amounted to approximately £13,500. Harrison was convicted of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position and sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
How did the former police federation treasurer misuse officers’ funds
Harrison served as secretary and treasurer of West Mercia Police Federation (WMPF) between 2010 and 2018. His responsibilities included safeguarding the financial interests of fellow police officers. However, he repeatedly used the federation’s petty cash, which was under his sole control, to pay for personal expenses.According to the CPS, Harrison deliberately kept his claims below £100 to avoid scrutiny. The fraudulent claims covered food, alcohol and entertainment, with the total value of the fraud estimated at approximately £13,500. He was convicted of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position at Hereford Crown Court.Harrison also used his attendance at National Police Memorial Days as an opportunity to take his wife and children on family holidays at the federation’s expense. The occasions were organised to honour police officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.According to the CPS, the family stayed in four- and five-star hotels in York, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. Harrison claimed the costs of accommodation, meals and day trips from funds contributed by fellow officers. The expenses were submitted despite being personal family holiday costs.
What did the investigation reveal about Harrison’s false timesheets
The investigation also found that Harrison received salary payments for days when he was not at work. He submitted timesheets falsely recording full working days, while text messages showed that he had taken time off to watch rugby abroad, including trips to Italy and Ireland.The messages also showed that he had spent time working on his allotment during periods recorded as full working days. The CPS said these false timesheets formed part of the fraudulent activity uncovered during the investigation.
What prison sentence did Harrison receive for abusing his position
Harrison was convicted of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position following a five-week trial at Hereford Crown Court. The BBC reported that he was cleared of one additional count of fraud, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on the final count.On 25 March 2026, Harrison was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court to two years and three months in prison for each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently, according to the CPS. He had resigned from West Mercia Police in February 2022.Victoria Norman of the Crown Prosecution Service said Harrison had exploited his position and control over the federation’s finances for personal gain. She said: “Harrison displayed an extremely cavalier attitude to being caught, dipping into petty cash at will, claiming expenses far beyond what was reasonable and falsifying timesheets.”Norman added that his conduct had betrayed the colleagues whose subscriptions funded the Police Federation. She said the CPS was determined to bring public servants who committed fraud and abused positions of trust to justice.
Why was Harrison suspended from his Police Federation role
West Mercia Police said concerns about Harrison were first raised with the national Police Federation in June 2018. Auditors were subsequently commissioned to review the federation’s financial accounts before Harrison was suspended from his role.Detective Superintendent Tony Garner of West Mercia Police described Harrison’s actions as a betrayal of trust. He said: “Jamie Harrison chose to act for himself.” Garner added that Harrison’s actions amounted to criminal behaviour and that the investigation had been conducted “without fear or favour”.