A policeman drove the luxury hire car he is allege

A policeman drove the luxury hire car he is alleged to
have stolen to a meeting with detectives probing its theft,
the Old Bailey heard.

Stuart Goodwell, a detective constable serving in Sutton,
had hired the plush Vauxhall Carlton for three days in 1991 and
maintained he returned it to the hire company after hours.

Goodwell, 33, claimed the car must have been stolen before
staff arrived at the Thames Ditton office of Alamo Car Rentals
the next morning.

But a year later, he was found with the vehicle, which had
been fitted with new number plates, after police were tipped
off that he had stolen it, the court heard.

Goodwell denies theft.

Prosecutor Miss Sally Howes said Goodwell posted the car keys
back through the office door late on May 13, 1991, with a note
saying the car was in nearby Windmill Lane.

‘It wasn’t there and was reported stolen.

‘Sometime later inquiries were made by a policeman as a result
of information received from a member of the public.

‘
Goodwell was summoned to a meeting with senior detectives on
May 29 the following year.

‘He was asked about the car.

He said he had hired it and
returned it.

‘One of the officers had been to the NCP carpark nearby and
had seen that very same vehicle parked there.

‘
When asked directly where the car was now, Goodwell allegedly
replied: ‘Oh well, it’s next door.

‘
He later claimed he had bought it from an oil company employee
now working in Kuwait.

Pursuing their investigation officers went to the Gulf to trace
seller.

But, said counsel: ‘He was in Kuwait at the relevant period and
could not possibly have offered any car for sale.

‘
Goodwell told officers that when he bought the Vauxhall, six
months after hiring just such a vehicle, although the one he bought
was similar to the missing hire car, it had a different registration
number.

He went on to say that before he made his purchase he ran a
check with the nationwide stolen car list giving the number on the
plates.

But, the court heard, when officers went to the carpark they
found the Vauxhall with its original number plates on.

The registration number which Goodwell said was on the car he
bought did belong to a Vauxhall Carlton.

The owner of that car was
spoken to but said he did not know Goodwell.

In further interviews, Goodwell exercised his right to silence.

The trial continues.

ENDS