A police-obsessed Special Constable, who stole equipment - including a bodybag - from multiple stations he worked at as a civilian employee, was jailed for twelve months today.
Special Constable and Acting Sergeant Toby Biginton, 24, also pinched police radios; batons; keys; computer equipment and warrant cards, Croydon Crown Court heard.
He fought the case and the jury were played recorded footage of the search of his home, which recovered £3,268 of stolen equipment, found amongst Biginton’s collection of Police Academy DVD’s and The Bill box sets.
“You don’t take these to add to your collection of police memorabilia,” Judge Deborah Charles told him. “A bodybag is not a collectable item.
“There is no evidence you used these items for a nefarious purpose, but having said that I heard your evidence and found it troubling and the jury were right to reject your explanation.
“I cannot come to a conclusion about what you intended to do with some of these items,” the judge told the first-time offender, who became a first-time father to a daughter three weeks ago.
“I can’t think of any good reason why anybody would have a bodybag and the jury rejected your explanation that you took it home by accident.
“I accept there is no evidence you did anything nefarious with that item, but it is the potential opening of the door to other crimes that concerns me.”
Biginton, of Rosecroft Close, Orpington was convicted of six counts of theft between August 1, 2020 and September 10, 2021, plus two counts of possessing three police batons as offensive weapons on September 10, 2021.
He was a police civilian employee, working with the custody services team responsible for ordering and supplying uniforms to the Met and was a representative for special constables under investigation.
Biginton was sacked from his civilian job with the Met on August 31, last year and dismissed from his special constable role on December 16, 2023.
“This young man was a serving member of police staff, where he was a Team Leader and was also a volunteer special constable and supervisor, with the rank of sergeant,” prosecutor Shekinah Anson told the trial.
“Police officers attended the address he shares with his grandmother and during a search they recovered items of property belonging to the Metropolitan Police Service.
“The Crown say he was dishonest and had these items without authority or permission and without the knowledge of his line manager.
“Mr Biginton did not have the authority to have these items in his possession and he did not tell anybody or record that he had these items.
“He received training regarding the handling of Metropolitan Police property and equipment,” added Ms Anson. “He knew those policies and procedures as a member of police staff and volunteer police officer.”
Six stolen police radios were found. “They gave Mr Biginton access to live police communications in the entire Metropolitan Police area and the Kent force.
“There were two solid police batons and an extendable ASP baton.”
Biginton was questioned about having those batons. “He said he intended to donate them to the police cadets for talks, give them to Bromley Police Cadets,” explained the prosecutor.
“He was treating these items as his own to do with as he pleased. he had numerous opportunities to give the batons to the cadets, but failed to do so.
“He took these items in breach of trust over a period of time.
“He said the radios were for a charity event and he failed to return them and the computer equipment allowed him to access sensitive information.
“He said he had the computer equipment so he could work from home and the laptop was for his special constable work.”
Biginton also had keys for an unmarked police vehicle and master keys for police lockers and insisted he always intended to return them.
He claimed to not even know he had possession of a stolen bodybag. “He said it was at the bottom of a cardboard box he used to move stuff between Bromley and Bexley police stations.
“He was randomly taking things from police stations he was either working at or visiting.”
Today she told the court: “An unusual and aggravating feature is these offences were committed while Mr Biginton was a volunteer Special Constable and a serving member of police staff.”
Biginton, who was based mainly at Bexleyheath Police Station, is now fighting the convictions before the Court of Appeal and his next hearing is Thursday.
His lawyer Michael Chambers said: “From a very young age he was somebody who wanted to join the police force
“There is no suggestion he had these items for a nefarious purpose. He did not think he was doing anything wrong or dishonest.
“There is nothing sinister here about the purpose of taking Metropolitan Police property.
“The impact of his offending is particularly significant for him. It was a job that he loved and he was well-regarded within the Metropolitan Police.”
The court heard Biginton’s grandmother’s house, which he shares along with his father, was searched on September 10, 2021 by officers investigating a separate allegation, when the stolen property was found.
That allegation, which has not been revealed, was not proceeded with.
“The computer equipment you took gave you access to sensitive police information,” Judge Charles told bespectacled Biginton, who arrived at court wearing a smart suit, shirt and tie.
“These were sophisticated offences and property was smuggled out of police stations.
“This sort of criminality has a significant impact on the public’s confidence in the police service and potentially open the door to other offences and you have shown no remorse at all.
“I have come to the conclusion that despite the conditions in our prisons and the impact on your grandmother I would be failing in my duty if I did not mark these offences with an immediate custodial sentence.”
Biginton did not react or show any emotion he was sentenced to immediate imprisonment and taken into custody.
