The special agent, 24, who stole a body bag, batons and warrant cards from police stations where he volunteered, is jailed after trying to claim he ‘took them home by accident’

A special constable who stole police equipment including a body bag, batons and warrant cards has been jailed for 12 months.

Toby Biginton, a 24-year-old special constable and acting sergeant, took the equipment from several police stations where he worked as a civilian employee.

Croydon Crown Court heard £3,268 worth of stolen equipment was found at his home, including police radios, keys and computer equipment, among his collection of Police Academy DVDs and box sets from the series of television The Bill.

Judge Deborah Charles said: “You are not taking them to add to your collection of police memorabilia. A body bag is not a collector’s item.

“There is no evidence that you used these items for any nefarious purpose, but having said that we heard your evidence and found it disturbing and the jury were right to reject your explanation.

“I cannot come to a conclusion as to what you intend 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 someone would have a body bag and the jury rejected your explanation that you took it home by accident.

“I accept that there is no evidence that you did anything nefarious with that object, but it is the possible opening of the door to other crimes that concerns me.”

Biginton, of Orpington in Kent, was convicted of six counts of theft between August 1, 2020 and September 10, 2021, plus two counts of possessing police batons as offensive weapons on September 10, 2021.

He was a civilian employee of the police, working with the custodial services team responsible for ordering and supplying Metropolitan Police uniforms and was a representative of the special agents involved in the investigation.

Biginton was dismissed from his civilian job at the Met on August 31 last year and dismissed as a special constable on December 16, 2023.

Prosecutor Shekinah Anson said: “This young man was a serving member of the police force where he was a squad leader and was also a volunteer special constable and supervisor with the rank of sergeant.

‘Police officers went to the address he shares with his grandmother and during a search recovered property belonging to the Metropolitan Police Service.

“The Crown says he was dishonest and had these items without authority or permission and without the knowledge of his manager.

“Mr Biginton was not authorized to have these items in his possession and did not tell anyone or record that he had these items.

“He received training in the handling of Metropolitan Police property and equipment.”

Ms Anson added: “He knew those policies and procedures as a member of police staff and a volunteer police officer.”

Six stolen police radios have been recovered. “They gave Mr Biginton access to live police communications across the entire Metropolitan Police area and Kent force.

— There were two solid police batons and an ASP extendable baton.

“He said he was going to donate them to the police cadets for talks, to give them to the police cadets in Bromley,” the prosecutor explained.

– He treated these things as his own, with them, as he pleased. he had numerous opportunities to pass the batons to the cadets, but failed.

“He took these items in breach of trust for 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 to be able to work from home and the laptop was for his work as a special constable.”

Biginton also had keys to an unmarked police vehicle and master keys to police lockers and insisted he always intended to return them.

He claimed he didn’t even know he was in possession of a stolen bag.

Mrs Anson told the court: “He said it was at the bottom of a cardboard box that he used to move things between Bromley and Bexley police stations.

“He would pick up random things from the police stations he either worked at or visited.

“An unusual and aggravating feature is that these offenses were committed while Mr Biginton was a volunteer special constable and serving member of the police force.”

Biginton, who was mainly based at Bexleyheath police station in south-east London, is now fighting the convictions at the Court of Appeal, with the next hearing on Thursday.

His barrister Michael Chambers said: ‘From a very young age he was someone who wanted to join the police force

“There is no suggestion that he had these items for any nefarious purpose.” He didn’t think he was doing anything wrong or dishonest.

“There is nothing sinister here in terms of the purpose of taking Metropolitan Police property.

“The effect of his offense is particularly significant for him. It was a job he loved and he was well regarded within the Metropolitan Police.

The court heard that Biginton’s grandmother’s home, which he shares with his father, was searched on September 10, 2021 by officers investigating a separate charge when the stolen property was found.

The allegation, which was not disclosed, was not considered.

“The computer equipment you took will provide access to sensitive police information,” Judge Charles told Biginton.

“These were sophisticated crimes and assets were illegally removed from police stations.

“This type of crime has a significant impact on public confidence in the police service and can open the door to further crime and you have shown absolutely no remorse.

“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 offenses with an immediate custodial sentence.”

Biginton showed no reaction or emotion as he was immediately sentenced to prison and taken into custody.