Police officer receives £12k payout after being bitten by fleas at work

West Midlands Police settled 14 cases last year worth a total of £61,131.30

West Midlands Police said the flea bites happened in a work environment

A police officer has been awarded £12,000 after being bitten by fleas while at work.

A freedom of information request revealed the unnamed officer from West Midlands Police received £12,127 from the force in damage in a case which cost a further £4,185 in legal fees.

The payout was one of 14 settled by the West Midlands Police in 2016/17 representing a total cost of £61,131.30.

The officer was bitten in an office space at a police station and the force said the officer required emergency surgery.

There were five payouts in excess of £5,000 which included two for trips and two for "manual handling".

Another constable was handed £7,274 in damages for defective equipment used while at work.

In a statement, the force said compensation payouts were only made following "appropriate medical evidence by insurers and solicitors".

Tom Cuddeford, from the West Midlands Police Federation, told the BBC compensation payouts "aren't flippantly made".

"Everybody is entitled to work in a safe working environment and that goes for any employee.... whoever they work for," he added.