A former Norfolk police officer whose addiction to gambling 'grew out of control' has been jailed after admitting a frauds totalling about £85,000.

Christopher Hawkins was a detective constable with Norfolk Constabulary at the time he was fraudulently signing documents in his then wife's name to get loans which were squandered on gambling.

His former wife, a serving police officer, who was completely unaware of the offending, has had her credit rating affected and could yet lose her home.

Hawkins, formerly of Back Lane, Martham, was jailed for two years at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday after previously admitting four counts of fraud.

The offences spanned some six years, from 2007 until 2013, although the full extent of the fraud was only discovered after Hawkins admitted fraud by false representation between March and April 2012.

It was after being sentenced for that offence, which related to an £8,000 loan he had fraudulently made in his wife's name, that she 'began to make more detailed investigation into their financial affairs'.

The court heard he falsely claimed his former wife had signed and agreed to be bound by the terms of a credit agreements including extending mortgages and surrendering endowment policies in order to obtain cash loans.

He made these applications on both their behalves, forging signatures to acquire the money to pay significant gambling debts.

Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said his ex wife had access to a Lloyds account which had been used by Hawkins during their marriage.

She discovered that various monies had been paid into that account including £25,000 from a mortgage extension application made to Alliance and Leicester, now Santander, in her name which she had been unaware of.

Mr Shaw said the money, which had been paid into the account in February 2007, 'fairly quickly dissipated' as a result of Hawkins' 'gambling addiction'.

He added that Hawkins' former wife faced an uncertain future because of the defendant's offending and might yet have to sell her home.

Charlie Myatt, for Hawkins, now of Dorchester Road, Bury St Edmunds, said the offending came at a time when there was a 'significant strain' on his marriage with his now ex wife and ton sister his behaviour was 'out of his normal character'.

He said it 'was not borne out of sheer greed and selfishness' but out of 'an addiction to gambling which grew out of control'.

Mr Myatt said the gambling was to 'escape' rather than out of greed'.

Hawkins, who had served as an officer between December 1989 and October 2014, was dismissed from the force following his 2014 conviction after an internal disciplinary process with the Professional Standards Department.

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Gary Lillie, Norfolk and Suffolk's Anti-Corruption Unit, said: 'We expect the highest level of personal and professional behaviour from those serving with us.

'This result highlights how important it is for the forces to continue to robustly investigate any allegations of criminal conduct made against its employees or former employees.'

'The fact that Hawkins had deceived those who should have been able to trust him the most and who have particularly suffered via his actions is equally unacceptable.'

Emailpeter.walsh@archant.co.uk