A POLICE officer's career is in ruins after he was convicted of fraud.Great Yarmouth-based PC Simon Hood, 43, has been warned he faces jail after he pretended his Audi TT car was stolen and made a false insurance claim.

A POLICE officer's career is in ruins after he was convicted of fraud.

Great Yarmouth-based PC Simon Hood, 43, has been warned he faces jail after he pretended his Audi TT car was stolen and made a false insurance claim.

Hood and co-defendant Peter Marsh, 41, denied fraud but a jury at Norwich Crown Court found them both guilty on last Friday by a majority of 11-1.

The court heard Hood had claimed the car had been stolen from outside Gorleston Police Station and made false representations to Royal Bank of Scotland, acting on behalf of Tesco insurance, between March 12 and May 31 last year.

It was alleged that Hood had wanted to sell the car, which be bought in 2008, but had been disappointed when it “took a dive in value”.

He then arranged with his friend Marsh, of Tillett Close, Ormesby, near Yarmouth, for the car to be disposed of. Parts of it were later found encased in bubble wrap at Ace Tyre and Exhaust Centre in Suffolk Road, Yarmouth, which is owned by Marsh.

Hood's ex-girlfriend Suzanne Coates told the court Hood confessed to her that he had faked the theft.

“He said he did it with Peter. Peter had a key and took the car away and it was going to be taken to bits and got rid of so it was never found,” she told the court.

The jury of eight men and four women also heard how mobile phone records backed up allegations of conspiracy, showing that Hood and Marsh spoke several times on the day of the “theft”, including shortly before the car was reported stolen and shortly afterwards.

Judge Alasdair Darroch told Hood and Marsh: “You have been convicted of an extremely serious office and one which would normally be marked with an immediate custodial sentence.”

Both men were bailed prior to sentencing, which has been adjourned until June 28.

A spokesman for Norfolk police said: “PC Hood remains suspended pending the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing.”