PCSO denies stabbing herself for bogus damages claim

A former PCSO accused of stabbing herself for a bogus compensation claim is set to argue she was the victim of a real attack, a court has heard.

Olivia Morphew, 24, allegedly lied when she said she had been attacked with kitchen knife as she walked home from work in Esher in Surrey in June 2022.

She is accused of making a claim over her injuries to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority three days later.

Morphew has now been charged with perverting the course of justice, fraud , and possession of a knife in a public place.

It is said she lied about the attack and actually stabbed herself with the kitchen knife, before making a bogus compensation claim.

Morphew appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday, and spoke only to confirm her name, address, and age.

She was not asked to enter any pleas, but her lawyer indicated to the court that she intends to plead not guilty.

“Her case is what she says happened did happen”, said Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring.

Morphew, who was a Police Community Support Officer in Surrey, resigned from the force in September 2022, when she had been put under investigation.

At the time the stabbing was first reported in the news, Surrey Police said a kitchen pairing knife with a 9cm had been recovered.

The force appealed for witnesses on Old Church Path, a pedestrian walkway linking Esher Park Avenue with the high street, to get in touch if they had been in the area ataround 2.50pm on June 21, 2022.

Surrey Police also issued a description of a suspect, and said three teenage boys had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

According to the charges against Morphew, she is accused of perverting the course of justice by “making a report to Surrey Police claiming that you had been stabbed by a male with a knife”.

It is said that between June 24 and July 20 she “submitted a claim for financial compensation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, intending to make a gain, namely by falsely claiming that you were attacked by a male”.

And it is also said Morphew was in possession of a knife in public on Old Church Path, Esher, on June 21, 2022.

Morphew, of Cumberland Close in Bengeo, Hertford, was released on unconditional bail until a hearing at Southwark crown court on October 9.

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