London detective jailed for credit card scam

LONDON (Reuters) - A London police anti-terrorism detective was sentenced to 10 months in jail on Monday for spending more than 70,000 pounds on holidays, clothes and electrical goods on a work-issued credit card.

Detective Sergeant Richard de Cadenet, 39, went on a 15-month spending spree between July 2006 and October 2007 using an American Express credit card which was supposed to be for official business only.

"This was a serious misuse of the public's money," said Deborah Glass from the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Southwark Crown Court heard that de Cadenet, who worked on the investigation into the July 7, 2005 London bombings, spent 73,669 pounds on the card, using it to pay for two holidays to Mexico and a trip to Thailand, the Press Association reported.

He also withdrew 18,000 pounds in cash and spent 3,500 pounds on clothes and 3,000 on electrical goods.

His lawyer Neil Saunders said the experienced officer had begun experiencing marital difficulties, had developed a drink problem and was seriously in debt when he obtained the card.

"He was buying what he thought was attention and affection," Saunders said. "He was ... a man who was simply unable to cope."

De Cadenet, who resigned from the police after being charged, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office in June and Judge Geoffrey Rivlin said he would have to spend half the 10-month jail sentence behind bars.

The Met Police are currently checking spending on 3,500 corporate credit cards that have been in use since 2006.