A Bradford police constable accused of stealing £700 from an elderly widow to whom he gave crime prevention advice was suffering from depression, a jury heard today.

And Dr Lorenzo Pieri, a consultant psychiatrist, said the depressive disorder Kenneth Davies was suffering from may have made him more likely to steal.

Davies, 44, of Leafield Crescent, Eccleshill, denies stealing the money from a tin in which frail Doris Midwood, who is now 84, kept her life savings when he visited her flat in Windhill, Shipley.

Yesterday Mrs Midwood, who gave evidence from a wheelchair, told Leeds Crown Court that Davies had taken the money last January while advising her on how to keep the savings safe.

Davies, who is married with two daughters and joined the police in 1992, told the jury he was under enormous stress at the time. He said he had no intention of keeping the money, he intended to return it but never got the chance and could not explain what he did.

Giving evidence Dr Pieri, who interviewed Davies after he was charged last January, said: "Mr Davies was suffering from a psychiatric condition known as major depressive disorder.

"What came over was a man who exhibited the classical symptoms and signs of a depressive illness. Subjectively he simply appeared depressed. He told me and I had no reason to doubt that he was really quite unable to explain what had happened - he was very remorseful, not just for himself but for the force and his family as well."

Dr Pieri said such a depressive disorder could effect people's judgements or reasoning.

Under cross-examination from Julian Goose, prosecuting, who asked whether people who are depressed are more likely to commit theft, Dr Pieri said: "If there's any psychiatric condition associated with depression it is one of theft.

"I am suggesting that someone who is suffering from a depressive illness could be more likely to do that than someone who is not.

"An individual suffering from a depressive illness is more likely to do things they would not usually do and they might indeed steal."

Dr Pieri said he believed Davies had been suffering from depression for up to 16 months and said it may have had an effect on whether it was his intention to permanently deprive Mrs Midwood of her money.

The trial continues.

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