THE district's former top police officer has appeared in court accused of blatantly defrauding his employers with made-up and exaggerated expense claims.

Jonathan Baldwin, 42, a former Chief Inspector and Epping Forest District Commander, made mileage claims related to his job which were “entirely fictitious” Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Gregory Perrins said: “The fact that they were blatantly false must have been obvious to this defendant when he submitted those claims. To submit claims which are false and which the defendant knew were false is both dishonest and fraudulent.

“The claims were for relatively small amounts of money- about £310. But that fact, say the prosecution, doesn't make them less criminal.”

The court heard that Mr Baldwin joined Essex Police in June 2007 as an Inspector and was quickly promoted to Chief Inspector.

Mr Perrins said: “What is significant is that the post became vacant following an internal investigation into the previous holder of the post. You might therefore expect the new holder of the post to be aware of the need for absolute integrity in the job.”

The court heard that one charge against Mr Baldwin related to a trip on December 21, 2007 to the Windsor Leadership Trust, an educational and charitable body.

Mr Perrin said Mr Baldwin had made several genuine trips to Windsor but added: “As far as December 21 is concerned he never left at all. The claim was entirely false. He never went that day. He was working in Essex Police Headquarters. It is an entirely fictitious claim.”

The second charge against Mr Baldwin relates to a trip he made to Windsor on February 24 last year which he claimed was 440 miles long.

Mr Perrin said: “ Anyone with even a basic grasp of geography will see the trip from Essex to Windsor is around 220 miles. He has more than doubled the journey.”

Mr Baldwin is also accused of nearly doubling a trip made from Essex to Oxford on March 12, which he claimed was 400 miles long.

The court heard that, in interview, Mr Baldwin put the charges down to honest mistakes and when asked how he came to his mileage figures answered he had “put the wrong numbers down”.

Mr Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to all three charges of fraud through false representation. He was removed from his post as District Commander in November last year.

The trial continues.