Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Crockwell, embroiled last year in a criminal trial, has retired from the Bermuda Police Service and is eligible for a full pension, has learned through multiple sources.

Det. Ch. Insp. Crockwell was exonerated last month in Supreme Court, but the judge branded his actions ?highly questionable?.

He was accused of stealing money from a business partner.

When the legal accusations were first levelled in February 2005, Det. Ch. Insp. Crockwell was suspended from the force pending the outcome of the trial. The trial ended in December of 2006.

Once the Chief Inspector was criminally cleared he was technically allowed back to work.

However, Mr. Crockwell has decided not to serve.

An attempt to reach his attorney late Friday was unsuccessful.

The seasoned investigator, who at 44 is relatively young for retirement, was permitted to do it, and receive his pension, because he has 26 years of service on the Police force ? the minimum requirement for retirement is 25 years.

Interestingly, Det. Ch. Insp. Crockwell would not have qualified for retirement if he had lost a speedier trial.

Prosecutors alleged Det. Ch. Insp. Crockwell stole $35,000 from a business account he shared with Andrew Bascome.

The two were neighbours and ran a construction business together. Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said he was compelled to throw the case out because, in his view, there was not sufficient evidence to prove exactly how much was allegedly stolen from the business account. The judge suggested the complainant?s only remaining recourse was in civil court.