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A senior investigator establish guilty of misusing police force recognition card game have been sentenced to three old age in prison.

Det Ch Insp Simon Peter Salkeld, 42, of Shoreham, was establish guilty, after a five-week trial, of 11 complaints relating to larceny and deception.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the complaints related to utilize of a Sussex Police military unit recognition card, used to purchase personal commodity over a nine calendar month period.

Sussex Police described Salkeld as "one greedy, dishonest individual".

During the trial, a jury heard how Salkeld, who have resigned from his function in the South East Regional Intelligence Unit, used the card to purchase points including a mini electric refrigerator and a interior designer ticker between June 2005 and February 2006.

'Truly repulsive'

He also took out a £1,100 grant from the Sussex Police Social Welfare Fund - usually used as a resource for widow women and those injured in service - which he spent on caravanning equipment.

Judge Saint Andrew Macdonald described it as a "truly abhorrent offence".

Salkeld also dishonestly accepted five years' worth of payments from Brighton and Hove City Council, which were supposed to be paying for the attention of aged widow woman Eileen Savage.

He was cleared, however, of a additional five counts of larceny and obtaining place by deception, concerning dementia-sufferer Mrs Savage, 93, and the jury was dismissed after failing to attain a finding of fact over a additional three complaints of larceny from her.

Mr Macdonald said that the sum of money sum of £96,950.78, which Brighton and Hove City Council had spent on Mrs Savage's attention between August 2001 and January 2006, should have got been paid by Salkeld.

I don't believe for one minute that this reflects on Sussex Police

Det Supt Steve Fowler, Sussex Police

He said he had "knowingly misled" the authorization by saying he could not afford to pay for her care, as he had powerfulness of lawyer over Mrs Savage's significant estate.

During mitigation, defense mechanism barrister Saint David Jubb said that Salkeld was not able to explicate why he had committed the crimes.

Speaking afterwards, Det Supt Steve Fowler, of Sussex Police, who carried out the investigation, said the trial was "embarrassing" for the force.

"I don't believe for one minute that this reflects on Sussex Police. It reflects on one person - one greedy, dishonest individual."

Judge Macdonald ordered an plus arrogation hearing to take topographic point at a future date.