Stealing policeman jailed for growing cannabis 04/09/2007 00:00

DRAGUIGNAN, France, Sept 3, 2007 (AFP) - A French police officer caught stealing from a dead road crash victim was jailed Monday for growing and selling cannabis, violence and theft.

Prosecutors at the court in Draguignan, southeastern France, said Eric Desvaux had "tarnished the reputation of a great state body." He was sentenced to nine months in jail, with three months suspended.

The 39-year-old, a former European swimming champion, was arrested in May after his girlfriend accused him of stealing a camera from the body of a man who died in a road crash.

When police officers searched his home they found the stolen camera -- and a cannabis plantation.

In court, Desvaux did not deny he committed the crimes but said he had suffered from relationship problems, difficulties at work and from deep depression, which was confirmed by psychological experts.

AFP

Subject: French news