A former policeman who stole almost £12,000 from his bosses to fund his gambling addiction has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

Mervyn Turk, 30, served with Sussex Police for two years before becoming manager of a plumbers and builders merchant.

Hove Crown Court heard he gambled on horses because of work pressure and borrowed money from friends and relatives to bet.

But as his debts mounted, the defendant cancelled cash sales invoices from customers and kept the money.

Turk, of High Beech Close, St Leonards, pleaded guilty to six charges of theft and asked for a further 38 offences to be taken into consideration during an earlier appearance before Eastbourne magistrates.

He yesterday appeared at the crown court to be sentenced by Judge Guy Anthony, who told him: "In light of your previous employment you were well aware of the seriousness of theft by employees in a position of trust.

"These thefts took place over a period of six months and amounted to almost £12,000.

"It is only possible to deal with you with a custodial sentence. However, because of the extreme hardship this would cause to your family, I am prepared to suspend that sentence for two years."

Turk, who received a total of nine months in custody, will not have to go to prison if he stays out of trouble for two years.

John Marsden-Lynch, prosecuting, had told the court the thefts were discovered after an audit was carried out at the Wolesley Centre, Eastbourne, after he had left the company.

He said: "Turk was seen at home and immediately admitted he had cancelled 49 invoices involving a total of £11,964."

Rebecca Upton, defending, said her client's father had repaid the missing money and he was in turn paying his father back.

She said he now had a £30,000-a-year job with another company, which was prepared to keep him on if he was not sent to prison.

Miss Upton said: "He is a man of previous good character and has shown genuine shame and remorse for what he did. As soon as he left his previous employer he sought help from Gamblers Anonymous and is attending weekly meetings in Hove.

"He has a wife and young son and the effect on them of him being sent to prison would be that they would have to sell their home."

Turk was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £160 and defence costs not exceeding £850 within 28 days.