A crooked cop who kept £1,250 of missing charity money hidden under his helmet has been spared jail.

PC Rick Kolkman, a former Wandsworth officer, sobbed when Judge John Price decided not to jail him at Southwark Crown Court last Tuesday.

Instead, he ordered Kolkman, of Eldon Road, in Caterham, Surrey, to carry out 250 hours of community service and pay £300 of prosecution costs.

Kolkman organised a fundraising evening at Frankie's Italian restaurant in Putney, South West London on May 13 last year, which raised £5,250 for charity Piggy Bank Kids.

But he later told bosses from the children's charity that the event had collected just £4,000, and held on to the remaining funds.

The 30-year-old repeated the lie to his superintendent - but he was exposed when fellow officers searched his home and found the money stashed under his policeman's helmet.

His defence counsel, James Hine, told the court Kolkman believed that once the £4,000 target had been reached for Piggy Bank Kids, he had fulfilled his “obligation” and kept the rest for his football team.

Kolkman, who admitted two counts of fraud, has now resigned from the force and the money has been returned to Piggy Bank Kids.

Superintendent David Chinchen, of Wandsworth police, said: “In this case the behaviour of PC Kolkman fell far below what was expected by the Metropolitan Police Service and the public we serve.

“It is an unfortunate reality that this failure reflects upon the overwhelming majority of officers who are honest, hardworking and committed to reducing crime in the borough.”