A disgraced former West Midlands Police detective who cheated taxpayers out of more than £3,600 in a benefits con has had a separate charge of shoplifting dropped.

Former Dc Stephen Murphy, from Aldridge, had pleaded not guilty to the theft of £23.26 worth of groceries from Asda in Cannock on January 19 this year.

The charge was dropped after Stafford Crown Court heard Murphy had been convicted of a three-year fraud since the case was brought.

Mr Glyn Samuels, prosecuting, said: “Since the charge this defendant has been sentenced for a matter of fraud over a period of three years. It was a fraud from the local authority.

“In these circumstances, he has ceased to be a police officer – he resigned at the time.

“Given what has happened in the fraud matter, it has been the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service that it is no longer in the public interest to pursue a matter of £23 worth of groceries.”

Murphy, aged 40, of Pinfold Lane, Aldridge, was formally found not guilty of theft by Judge Mark Eades.

The judge also awarded the former policeman defence costs. Mr Harpreet Sandhu, for Murphy, said his client did not have the benefit of legal aid.

Earlier this month, Dc Murphy, who cheated taxpayers out of more than £3,600 in a benefits con, was ordered to do unpaid community work.

Dc Murphy cashed housing benefit cheques for a former tenant after she had moved out of his property.

Murphy, a former beat bobby in Smethwick who resigned after admitting the fraud, let a room at his two-bedroom apartment to Paula Pomeroy from December 2006 to July 2007.

Murphy collected the money and signed documents relating to the claim giving his position and collar number with the force.

Ms Pomeroy was on income support and entitled to weekly housing benefit of £64.62, which was paid direct to Murphy by Walsall Council every four weeks.

But after she moved back to her home city of Plymouth, Murphy failed to inform the authority of the change.

He continued to accept the cheques from August 2007 to August 2008, despite being in a relationship with her and knowing she was living in Plymouth.

The total overpayment was £3,618.

The fraud only came to light when Ms Pomeroy started to claim housing benefit from Plymouth City Council, and shared computer systems picked up the clash.