A FORMER police officer's actions were seen to be "calculated and totally immoral" after lying about a back injury to play rugby.

Ethan Aherne, who was previously based in south Worcestershire, had breached West Mercia's standards of professional behaviour after lying about a back injury. 

The former officer was off sick, claiming he had a back injury, but officers from the force's anti-corruption unit travelled to Cardiff, where they saw him playing rugby.

In a hearing which took place today (Friday), it was found that Aherne would have been sacked if he had not resigned from the force in December 2022.

He had only spent 15 months at West Mercia Police.

The hearing was chaired by Chief Constable Alex Murray, who said: "Ethan Aherne's deception was calculated and totally immoral.

"He exploited and abused the welfare systems in place within the force to support officers and staff who have genuine physical health issues.

"He also betrayed all the hard-working officers of West Mercia Police, taking his paycheck whilst they would be engaged in work serving victims of crime that he should have been doing.  

"I'd like to thank the team in the anti-corruption unit who led the investigation into Aherne and secured evidence that was instrumental in securing the criminal convictions against him.

"Officers like Aherne have no place in policing, and he will now be added to the College of Policing's Barred List banning him from working for a UK police service in the future."

The verdict follows Aherne's guilty plea, which took place on September 29, and he was convicted by
Kidderminster Magistrates' Court of fraud by false representation contrary to section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.