A policewoman's sister who disgusted her family after looting a television during the riots escaped jail today.

Laura Foley, 22, admitted swiping a flatscreen television from outside Argos in Croydon.

Her sister Lisa, 28, is an officer with the Metropolitan Police and their mother Michelle is a emergency call operator.

Judge Roger Chapple said the offence was 'a moment of madness' as he spared the pregnant woman jail after she was shopped by her colleagues.

Toby Fitzgerald, prosecuting, said that the former bouncer, who worked at the Tiger Tiger nightclub in Croydon, had gone to the store with co-workers after one had said that people were ‘robbing Argos like flies.'

Mr Fitzgerald said: "The group went to the rear entrance of the store where any high value electrical goods were being looted.

"As they approached the shop, the defendant picked up a box containing a television from the ground.

"As she picked it up the group told how much they disapproved of her actions, and her mindset obviously changed as before she was smiling and after she was not.

"The group then told her how disgusted they were at her," he added.

He then explained that it was her colleagues who informed the police.

John Blandford, defending, said Foley had only picked up the television for a matter of seconds before it was then taken by a youth.

He added that Foley had been part of a security team protecting the area.

He said: "Before she stole the television her and her colleagues had rescued a woman and child that were surrounded by rioters and shepherded the woman and child to safety.

"She has shamed her family, with her sister serving as police officer with the Metropolitan police and her mother working there as a civilian.

"At the time they were disgusted with her but they have now come to forgive her," he added.

Inner London Crown Court also heard when Foley was on bail she had to ask to have her conditions changed from living at her father Daniel's pub, the White Horse on Selhurst Road, South Norwood, as the police were having a party there and they did not want to be in the same property as her.

Sentencing Foley to 100 hours unpaid work and ordering her to pay £500 costs, Judge Chapple said: "It is often the case that these crimes are said to happen in a moment of madness.

"Rarely though is that the case when that moment lasts for minutes or hours, but in this case it is an apt description as it lasted for a matter of seconds, before your colleagues put you on the right track.

"You have a great deal to thank your colleagues for, because when you swiped that television you had expressed criminal intent for those ten seconds."