Former Banbury Police Officer guilty of Gross Misconduct after pocketing £5
28/07/2025
The Chief Constable said he had acted foolishly after finding the cash in a police car
A former Thames Valley Police officer has been found guilty of gross misconduct after keeping a £5 note he found in a police vehicle during routine checks, a misconduct hearing has ruled.
Former PC Jonathan Wolverson, who was based at Banbury Police Station and joined the force in 2022, was investigated after he admitted to pocketing the note in late 2024. Upon discovering the cash, he told a colleague, “I’ll keep it as a cleaning fee,” and made no attempt to find its owner or report the discovery to a supervisor.
The misconduct hearing, held virtually on 14 July 2025 and chaired by Chief Constable Jason Hogg, determined that Wolverson’s actions breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to Integrity, Duties and Responsibilities, and Discreditable Conduct.
Wolverson resigned from the force in March 2025 and chose not to attend the hearing. The Chief Constable accepted that while Wolverson acted foolishly, he had made a full admission and cooperated with the investigation. It was also acknowledged that the matter only became a formal case due to Wolverson’s honesty.
Ultimately, while his actions were deemed gross misconduct, the Chief Constable opted not to take formal action. Wolverson will not be added to the police barred list, allowing the possibility of future employment in law enforcement.
Chief Constable Hogg said that public trust in policing must be upheld through accountability but recognised that, in this instance, the former officer’s conduct, while serious, did not warrant a lifetime ban from policing.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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