A former police officer burgled his lover's home and stole almost £20,000 to pay off loan sharks.

Married Christopher Sims, who was a beat patrol officer for Kings Farm, entered his mistress's Gravesend home and stole the cash.

The 27-year-old, of Highview, Vigo, told a court he used the money to pay off loan sharks who had threatened his wife and two children.

He admitted burgling the house in The Avenue, Gravesend, on March 3 this year when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

Kevin Toomey, defending, said: "It is a most unusual burglary.

"In light of the unusual circumstances of the offence and offender, this may be one of those cases which may be dealt with otherwise than in the usual way."

Sims was a PC at Gravesend Police Station and is thought to have left early this year.

Adjourning sentence until November 22 and granting conditional bail, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said: "Custody is obviously on the cards. It could be a suspended sentence order. It just could be."