David Blair, 39, of Harehills, Leeds, has denied obtaining a pecuniary advantage – a mortgage for an apartment in Barnsley – by deception in 2006.

Blair, who is no longer a constable in West Yorkshire, also pleaded not guilty at York Crown Court to further deception charges.

He denied three counts of obtaining £1,212 during the same year from Leeds housing benefit department by deception and three counts of fraud against Barnsley housing benefit department, who allegedly paid out a total of £820 in 2007.

His girlfriend, single mother-of-one Kirsty King, 28, of Shafton, Barnsley, has also denied the three deception charges involving Leeds council and three fraud charges involving Barnsley Council.

Rupert Dodswell, prosecuting, alleged that Blair moved King and her daughter into a house in Harehills, which belonged to his sister and brother.

Applications to the council for both council tax relief and housing benefits were successfully made by her. Both she and Blair claimed that he owned the property, was her landlord and that they were not in a relationship.

Later, Blair obtained a mortgage on the newly built Highgate House apartment in Barnsley, falsely claiming that he was a first-time buyer.

He said he had never been bankrupt and had no court judgements against him.

Mr Dodswell told the jury that all these facts were untrue.

Mother and daughter moved into the apartment and it is alleged that further claims for benefit were made.

The money was paid directly into Blair's bank account after he provided a letter, again claiming to be her landlord.

When arrested, King told police that she and Blair had been in a relationship for a time.

But he told his then colleagues that this was not true despite being arrested while in the double bed at the Barnsley apartment, said Mr Dodswell.

Blair's brother and sister both told the jury that he had asked to put up his friend and her daughter at their Luxor Road home.

They said they had not received any financial help during the four months she was there.

Proceeding