Pc Andrew Burt was allowed to retire on a full pension after being convicted of indecently assaulting three women.

Pc Andrew Burt was allowed to retire on a full pension after being convicted of indecently assaulting three women. One of his victims, grandmother Alison McFarlane, 60, said Burt had been rewarded for his crimes. Labour community safety spokesman Paul Martin MSP called for Burt's pension to be cut by the maximum 65%. <br />Married Burt, 50, would have lost his entire pension if he had been sacked by Lothian and Borders Police after being found guilty last October of assaulting the women at Cockenzie and Port Seton bowling club in East Lothian. <br />I am angry that he has been allowed to be rewarded with a full pension after his misdemeanour Alison McFarlane He had denied the charges against him, claiming he had been too drunk to remember what happened. The constable was suspended from his duties after being sentenced to 150 hours community service and three' years probation. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register. But he retired last month while an internal police investigation into his conduct was still ongoing. <br />He has claimed his full pension for 30-years service with the police, which is understood to amount to about £16,000 every year. Mrs McFarlane said she and the other two female victims, a 21-year-old who was slapped on the bottom by Burt, and her 44-year-old mother who he grabbed between the legs, had been "let down" by the force. Disgraced officersShe added: "I am angry that he has been allowed to be rewarded with a full pension after his misdemeanour. For him to try and fondle my breast is very degrading. "How come, when he was found guilty in court, and the police lawyer was there, did it take them five months for this to come round"He was allowed to retire but he should have been sacked after the verdict. I do think something should have been done and I don't think he should be allowed to keep that money. "They say crime doesn't pay but it certainly has for Andrew Burt." <br />Mr Martin said he had written to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to ask for measures to be put in place to prevent disgraced officers retiring before they are sacked. The sanction against pensions should be investigated as a disciplinary measure in this instance<br />"We have the right to expect the best possible standards from police officers both when they are on and off duty," Mr Martin said. "Most of the time we get that from them, but the sanction against pensions should be investigated as a disciplinary measure in this instance." A Dumfries and Galloway police inspector had his pension cut by 65%, the maximum amount allowed, by the local police board after retiring following his conviction for raping two women while on duty. A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed that Burt was no longer serving with the force. <br />The spokesman said disciplinary procedures could only be taken against officers after the conclusion of any court proceedings. <br />The Scottish Police Federation said no-one could defend what Burt had done but added that any officer who had completed 30-years of service was entitled to their police pension. The Scottish Government said it did not comment on individual cases but a spokesman said a review was ongoing into all police conduct regulations.

Pc Andrew Burt was allowed to retire on a full pension after being convicted of indecently assaulting three women.

Pc Andrew Burt was allowed to retire on a full pension after being convicted of indecently assaulting three women. One of his victims, grand...

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