An anti-terrorism officer who used the Metropolitan Police's corporate account for more than £73,000 of personal spending has been jailed for 10 months.
Det Sgt Richard de Cadenet charged items including luxury holidays to the force's American Express card.
The 39-year-old, who worked on the 7/7 bombing inquiry, admitted one count of misfeasance in public office. He resigned from his position in April.
He was arrested after auditors found a list of unexplained transactions.
Officers were supposed to submit details of their spending each month, Southwark Crown Court heard, but de Cadenet - who joined the force in 1996 after serving in the RAF in the Gulf War and Bosnia - did not do this.
'Marital problems'
De Cadenet's spending between July 2006 and October 2007 included holidays in Thailand and Mexico, valued at sums in excess of £6,400 and £9,000 respectively, the court heard.
More than £3,000 went on electrical goods plus a similar amount on clothes, while almost £6,000 was spent in supermarkets, prosecution lawyer David Levy said.
There were cash withdrawals of more than £18,000 and the card paid for a corporate box at a Premier League football ground, used by - among others - de Cadenet's estranged father, Mr Levy added.
For the defence, lawyer Neil Saunders said de Cadenet had emerged as a "class leader" while training in Hendon, north London, and his work for the force had been praised.
But problems with his marriage led to difficulties with alcohol and debt, Mr Saunders added.
He said the ex-officer had been "buying what he thought was attention and affection" at a time when he was "simply unable to cope" with life.
"It is clear that at the time that he committed these offences he was suffering from a disorder," he argued.
Judge's warning
Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC told de Cadenet it was "a matter of great sadness that you have suffered so much mental turmoil in the last few years".
He said he hoped the ex-officer would accept advice and counselling while in prison and after his release.
"You will have to serve one half of the sentence I am about to impose," the judge added.
"You will have to serve the remainder of the sentence if you get into any further trouble within the overall period of the sentence or if you breach any of the licence conditions."
In 2007, 3,533 Metropolitan Police officers and staff had corporate credit cards, but some 1,400 have since been cancelled.
They were issued to cover expenditure such as accommodation and travel when employees had to leave the force's catchment area.
They could also be used in London in certain cases, as long as approval was sought afterwards.
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