A FORMER police officer who “destroyed” the public’s trust in the law has been jailed for burglary and corruption.

An investigation uncovered the criminal behaviour of ex-Sergeant Ben Cooke after a burglary in the Bridgend area with evidence linking him to the crime.

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

The ex-South Wales Police officer pleaded guilty to burglary, attempted burglary, theft, misuse of police computer systems and a police corruption charge.

MORE NEWS: Knifeman jailed for 12 years after carrying out spree of terrifying robberies

Cooke was sent to prison for six years and four months at Cardiff Crown Court.

Prior to his convictions, he resigned two days before an accelerated misconduct hearing on April 25 chaired by Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan.

At the hearing, Cooke faced an allegation of taking a front door key from the home of a member of the public which he had attended during the course of his duties.

The key was later found within a rucksack at his home address which he could not account for.

Mr Vaughan found that the allegation amounted to gross misconduct and delivered the sanction of dismissal without notice if the officer had still been serving.

Publication of the outcome of this hearing was postponed pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

Mr Vaughan said: “Ben Cooke has let himself and the police service down badly and destroyed any trust the communities of South Wales had in him as a police officer.

“His behaviour is wholly unacceptable.

“The fact that he has attended the home of a member of public when he should have been supporting them in their hour of need and taken their front door key is the type of behaviour which is almost impossible to measure – it is incalculably bad.

“Police officers hold precious private information and have access to people who are often in crisis and in need of help.

“The fact that this former officer has taken advantage of his privileged position is disgraceful.

“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.”

Mr Vaughan has written a personal letter of apology to the victim of Cooke’s burglary offence, stating: “I am disgusted by his actions and deeply sorry for the experience you endured at the hands of a serving police officer.

“It is extremely troubling and completely unacceptable that you were a victim of crime in your own home at the hands of someone who was employed to protect you and uphold the law.

“Police officers should be trusted to the ends of the earth and the actions of this officer were a grave betrayal of that trust; his actions undermined everything that we stand for as a police service.”