Newbury's former top cop leaves police force

Chief Supt Jim Trotman resigned from Thames Valley Police soon after being cleared of a series of charges by a jury

NEWBURY'S former top policeman, the former Chief Supt Jim Trotman, has quit Thames Valley Police.

In February he was cleared at Swindon Crown Court of charges of arson, fraud and perverting the course of justice.

Deputy Chief Constable Francis Habgood said after the verdict: ”Chief Supt Trotman will remain suspended from duty until the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing on conduct matters unconnected with the criminal case.”

The internal hearing was due to take months to complete.

However inquiries by the Newbury Weekly News have this week revealed that Mr Trotman resigned from the force soon afterwards.

A jury threw out claims that he set fire to his own car and tried to frame his mistress' husband for the arson attack.

During the course of the two-week trial at Swindon Crown Court jurors had been told that the police investigation into the arson attack had been deeply flawed.

The then Chief Supt Trotman had met his married lover Karin Gray on the Illicit Encounters website for people seeking extra-marital affairs in May 2008 and left his wife Charlotte in June 2009, the court heard.

Before being arrested over the arson claim in February 2010, after which he was suspended on full pay, the then 45-year-old father of two had enjoyed an 18-year career with Thames Valley Police.

He worked in the West Berkshire area as a Superintendent and local area commander for three-and-a-half years before leaving for Oxford in 2005.

Before joining the police in 1992 he had served as an officer with 45 Commando Royal Marines, and had been deployed to both Northern Ireland and Iraq.