Ex-Yorkshire Pc gets just £1 in damages from his old force

Kashif Ahmed, 36, an ex-police constable with the Leeds North West Division, took West Yorkshire Police to court after he was cleared of fraud and deception charges in 2011.

Mr Ahmed said the two-year investigation carried out against him was “in bad faith” and sued the force in a civil trial at Leeds County Court.

But today a judge upheld just two of the 30 issues raised by Mr Ahmed at the trial, finding that the police had unlawfully carried out a search of Mr Ahmed’s car.

Dismissing the remaining issues, which had included negligence, false imprisonment and theft, Judge Mark Gosnell said: “I fully accept that Mr Ahmed was convinced in his belief that he had been the victim of a witch hunt.”

Adding: “I consider the officers involved merely carried out their jobs to the best of their ability and were not motivated by any ulterior motive in dealing with the claimant.”

He ordered Mr Ahmed to pay 85 per cent of the police’s legal costs.

The legal action came about after Mr Ahmed, from Bradford, pleaded not guilty at Bradford Crown Court to a total of 10 charges of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception and fraud and the case was subsequently dropped.

In a statement given after yesterday’s ruling, Mr Ahmed said he would appeal, adding: “I have managed to succeed in the claim I brought against West Yorkshire Police albeit not in every aspect.”

The West Yorkshire force’s Assistant Chief Constable John Robins said: “Today’s judgment draws a line under the claims made by Mr Ahmed against West Yorkshire Police and a number of its officers. West Yorkshire Police expects the highest standards of its officers and staff.”

He added: “The judgement clearly demonstrates that West Yorkshire Police and its officers were right to investigate and prosecute Mr Ahmed.”