Shamed police officer Ian Scouler who stole £400 during a house search jailed AGAIN for stealing two smartphones Former PC Ian Scouler was caught taking £400 in a sting operation in 2011 Jailed for 12 months - admitted in prison he had also stolen two phones BlackBerry had been handed in and iPhone taken during house search Scouler sold both on mobile selling website Phone Bank under his own name Sentenced to a further 30 weeks in prison at Westminster Magistrates' Court A shamed police officer jailed for stealing cash during a house search was sent back to prison today for stealing two smartphones. Former PC Ian Scouler, 47, was jailed for 12 months in last November for stealing £400 left as bait during a sting operation set up to catch crooked officers. The father-of-two was released from prison last month - only to be jailed again for 30 weeks today at Westminster Magistrate's Court after admitting two more thefts. Shamed: Former Met officer Ian Scouler, 47, was jailed for a second time today after pleading guilty to stealing two smartphones belonging to members of the public While serving his sentence, Scouler eventually confessed to taking an iPhone and a BlackBerry. The court heard how he stole the BlackBerry after it was handed in by a good Samaritan to the front desk of Eltham Police Station and sold it hours later on mobile selling site Phone Bank. Five months later the officer, who has more than 20 years service, stole an iPhone during a house search in Woodhill, south east London. The court heard when the theft first came to light last year, Scouler blamed his colleagues claiming one of them had given him the phone. As a result, 16 police officers involved in the house search that day had to be investigated. Emma Scheer, prosecuting at Westminster Magistrates court, said: 'Mr Scouler was part of a search team searching an address, various items were taken. It was only when the owner asked for his phone back did it emerge that Scouler had sold it through Phone Bank. The BlackBerry was found by a member of the public who handed it into Eltham Police Station at 4pm. It was submitted to Phone Bank at 1am. 'In the interview in respect of the iPhone, he said he was given it by another colleague and didn't know it was stolen. 'He wouldn't tell them who it was. They asked him and he said that's loyalty, effectively, he didn't want to put someone up for it. They had to investigate all the other police officers on the search. In respect of the BlackBerry, he couldn't remember where he got it from but thought it might have been at a car boot sale. Both thefts were opportunistic. Scouler's reputation was left in tatters after a jury at Southwark Crown Court found him guilty of theft. He was caught taking money in a sting operation set up following allegations of thefts by officers from Greenwich Borough's Disruption unit during searches. Scouler was filmed removing the cash from a leather jacket left in a flat in New Eltham, south east London, and putting it into his pocket. He was also taped joking 'It's not divisible by three' when a colleague found 200 Euros. Scouler and colleagues were filmed browsing pornography and playing music while they were supposed to be searching the flat, which had been wired with hidden recording devices. Westminster Magistrates Court heard that the former officer had previously stolen £400 and was found to have taken an iPhone At the time Judge Michael Gledhill QC branded Scouler a 'rogue officer'. 'The trust that society places in their police officers is vitally important to everyone', he said. When that trust is broken by rogue officers, as you became, public confidence is eroded, it makes the job of honest officers far more difficult, and it seriously undermines society. Speaking a court today, Scouler's defence lawyer Rebecca Smith told the court how he is suffering from depression and has had spend most of his prison sentence in segregation because he was kept being recognised by fellow inmates. She said: 'He has awareness and understanding of the abuse of his position and the trouble he has led his family into. He is the author of his own actions. He had to be moved six or seven times in prison and spent most of it in segregation because of being recognised in custody. Ms Smith also said the ex-PC has been offered work with lettings agency Acorn and had an interview with South West Trains. Balding Scouler stared at the ground as the 30 week sentence was handed down. District Judge Nicholas Evans said: 'Police officers who are given power to enter a home with a search warrant are not expected to take advantage. The explanation he was given the phone by another police officer put 16 police officers under suspicion. This is a serious aggravating feature. Later these two acts of indecency when you were manipulating your court appearances denied the ability of the crown court judge to sentence you for all your offences. I take into account firstly the seriousness of police officers stealing when they are in a position of trust. Secondly, the serious aggravating feature of putting colleagues under suspicion. Thirdly, some degree of manipulation of the court process. Scouler, of Borough Green, Kent, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.