Police officer charged with theft

A police officer appeared in court on Friday accused of stealing more than £2,000.

The allegations against him include a claim he took money from a prisoner in his custody.

Pc Baldeep Cheema, 35, denied two counts of theft and a charge of obtaining property by deception.

He was granted unconditional bail to stand trial on a date to be fixed.

The officer, who is currently suspended from duty, is alleged to have stolen £1,070 from a man in Derby in last August and £235 from a local woman during the same month.

He is also alleged to have taken £1,000 from another person in January, claiming the money was to repay a debt, when it was really to replace funds stolen from a suspect whilst they were in his custody.