Former police officer faked search warrant to steal safe full of cash

• Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Cooke had thrown away his good character and 10 years of exemplary service in the force.

A former South Wales Police officer has been sent to prison after admitting offences including burglary and police corruption.

Following an investigation, evidence linking ex-Sergeant Ben Cooke to a Bridgend burglary was uncovered.

Further probing revealed he had also committed an attempted burglary, stolen the front door key from a house and misused police computer systems.

Appearing at Cardiff Crown Court, the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to burglary, attempted burglary, theft, misuse of police computer systems and a police corruption charge.

The former police officer was sentenced to six years and four months.

The court heard how Cooke had abused his position as an officer by pretending to be in possession of a search warrant to enter a house and steal a safe containing thousands of pounds in cash.

He had researched his target by accessing the police computer and looking at intelligence reports.

The court heard it is thought the safe contained around £16,000 in cash though neither it, nor its contents, have ever been found.

The prosecutor said Cooke called South Wales Police’s anti-corruption unit on February 9 admitting to doing something "stupid", but wanted to hand himself in.

He claimed he was being blackmailed and had committed a burglary after being "tasked" to do it by an unknown person. He said he had taken the safe and had been instructed to leave it on wasteland.

The Hirwaun local said he was being blackmailed about a woman he had met online, which suggested the involvement of a Bridgend-based organised crime group.

According to Cooke, he was being blackmailed over sexual pictures he had sent of himself.

Speaking after the sentencing the chief constable of South Wales Police, Jeremy Vaughan, expressed how the former police officer had not only let himself down, but also, the wider police service. He also stated that Cooke's "wholly unacceptable behaviour" had "destroyed any trust the communities of South Wales had in him as a police officer."

He added: "The vast majority of the 6,000-plus officers and staff who work for South Wales Police conduct themselves impeccably and work tirelessly to protect the public, those very few who choose to breach the standards expected of them undermine the public’s trust in policing.

"There is no room for this type of conduct in South Wales Police."

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Cooke had thrown away his good character and 10 years of exemplary service in the force, tarnishing the reputation of South Wales Police and of policing generally.

Rosamund Rutter, for Cooke, said the father-of-two was ashamed of his behaviour and realised he had let his family down, let his former colleagues down, let South Wales police down, and brought the police service into disrepute.

She said the defendant had spent 10 years of his life "upholding the law and protecting people", and what he did in January and February this year was "inexplicable".

She said references before the court spoke to his character including one which described him as being "a good man with a good heart".

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