A policeman who ran a business selling pirate DVDs walked free from court yesterday but faces the sack from his force.

PC John Wragg, 34, imported copies from Malaysia for three years and sold them on Ebay and through adverts in his local newspaper.

Two years ago a warning appeared on Ebay that his DVDs were poor copies from the Far East.

A reader tipped off trading standards officers who raided the home of the Cleveland probationer and his gym instructor wife.

Wragg, a cop for two years, was selling DVDs of Lord of The Rings and Twin Towers when the film was first on cinema release, said prosecutor Richard Bennett for North Yorkshire Trading Standards.

Wragg claimed that he began by selling his own DVDs but demand soared and he began importing them, said Robert Adams, defending.

Former Gulf War squaddie Wragg is likely to be kicked off the force today when he appears before the Chief Constable at a disciplinary hearing for running a business without permission.

Judge Les Spittle told him: "This was a business. You were in this for money and money is what it is going to cost you as far as this court is concerned."

He pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to two charges of possessing counterfeit DVDs and one of offering counterfeit DVDs for sale.

Wragg from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was given a 12 month conditional discharge and fined £1,000 with £5,000 costs. The fakes were ordered to be destroyed.

A case against his wife Nicola,31, was dropped earlier.