Former Northumbria Police officer Adrian Ingram, 41, was caught with almost £500-worth of stolen goods stuffed in his bag.

The 41-year-old told arresting officers "I was silly, I have stolen goods" after the shoplifting spree in York in February.
A judge at Durham Crown Court heard Ingram had been suffering from a bipolar personality disorder for which he was receiving treatment.

Granting him a one-year-conditional discharge, Judge Michael Cartlidge said: "You had a distinguished career in the police force and unhappily now find yourself at court.

"But a mental disorder is not an excuse to get involved in crime."

Ingram began shoplifting on July 29 last year, when he was caught
stealing groceries worth £6.97 from a Spar supermarket in Darlington.

Following his arrest he was immediately suspended on full pay from duty with Northumbria Police.

But while on bail, he travelled from his home in Darlington to York on February 24, where he filled his bag with goods including bottles of spirits and champagne, fine art prints and several MP3 music players.

He quit the force after security guards in HMV York spotted him on the shoplifting spree.

Then on July 16 Ingram stole two bottles of spirits worth £30.38 in total from the Marks and Spencer in Darlington.

Mitigating, Brian Russell said the thefts were caused by Ingram's mental illness, for which he had at first refused to take medication