A NORTH-East police officer is facing dismissal after admitting using a stolen sim card in his mobile phone.

Abib Hussain racked up a £128 bill on the card a friend had stolen from his employers, a pub company called Brewline Limited.

The Cleveland officer, who is suspended, is facing a disciplinary hearing that will decide whether or not he has a future in the force.

Hussain, a Cleveland police officer for eight years, admitted charges of handling stolen goods and dishonestly obtaining electronic telecommunication services at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday.

Judge John Evans sentenced him to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £2,000 prosecution as well as his own defence costs.

He was also ordered to pay £128 compensation for the airtime he used between August 9 and November 13 last year.

The 30-year-old, who is based in the Middlesbrough district support unit, was suspended with basic pay when the allegations were originally made. But the court heard yesterday it was inevitable he would lose his job now he had admitted his guilt.

Judge Evans told him: "Whatever the circumstances in which you got possession of that sim card, I accept it had nothing at all to do with the fact you were a serving police officer at the time.

"Had it been the case this was in any way connected with your service as a police officer this would have been regarded as a very much more serious matter than I view this case now.

"It had nothing at all to do with your service as a police officer, but it is very unfortunate and a very sad day when the court finds itself dealing with a police officer, who for eight years served perfectly well as an officer, who finds himself coming before the court and admitting matters of dishonesty."

Defence barrister David Lamb said Hussain, of Yarm, had felt extremely proud to become a police officer at the age of 22.

But Mr Lamb said the loss of his job may mean he is unable to keep up his £700 per month mortgage payments and may lose his home.

Mr Lamb said Hussain's girlfriend had left him as a result of the case. He added: "Mr Hussain feels he is a man who has lost everything."

The chairman of Cleveland Police Authority would not comment on the case until an investigation was carried out.

Councillor Dave McLuckie said: "In view of the fact that PC Hussain is currently subject to disciplinary proceedings, it would not be proper for us to comment at this stage."

A Cleveland Police spokesman confirmed Hussain was suspended from duty pending the outcome of the hearing.

Hussain now faces an uncertain future, but in November last year he was heralded as an upstanding officer by a judge at Teesside Crown Court when a Middlesbrough man was sentenced for hurling racist abuse at him.

Judge Michael Taylor said at the time: "This community should be proud to see people like PC Hussain taking on the difficult job of policing our area. He has a hard enough job to do and works hard at it without having to deal with ignorant louts like you."