British police were paid £151,000 to provide leadership training to senior officers in Brunei, some of whom may now be involved in imposing draconian new laws that punish gay sex and adultery with death by stoning.

The College of Policing, an arm’s-length body of the Home Office, provided 235 days’ worth of training to eight Brunei police officers between 2012 and 2016, according to a freedom of information response.

Its relationship with the regime is further highlighted by a series of gifts that were given to college officials, including a Swiss watch worth £510, the Guardian has established.

The college now says it will no longer be providing training to Brunei’s police force after the imposition of the new laws.

Brunei has received international condemnation for imposing sharia laws including punishments such as amputating thieves’ hands. The changes have been overseen by the country’s billionaire sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, who has described them as a “great achievement”.

This month the Brunei-owned Dorchester hotel in London was dropped as a venue for the Police Federation’s bravery awards over the controversy.

The College of Policing – a professional body for police in England and Wales – has earned millions providing training for overseas regimes since its inception in 2012, including several countries with questionable human rights records such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE.

Its 10-week strategic leadership programme “involves visits to key policing institutions in the UK and mainland Europe, and extensive research in UK police forces,” according to a course synopsis. “The philosophy of the programme is to provide rich opportunities for self-directed, personal and professional development in a stimulating and supportive team environment which mirrors the culture of a world-class ‘top team’.”

The veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has urged the government to cut all ties with the sultan of Brunei’s regime, said: “Even before the enactment of these new extremist sharia laws, Brunei was a quasi-dictatorship without international standards of democracy and human rights. It is shocking to think that some of these officers may now be involved in enforcing the death penalty for homosexuality, adultery and insulting the prophet Mohammad.

“I’m surprised that the College of Policing has previously agreed to train Brunei police, given the country’s longstanding tyranny. Its decision to refuse such training in the future is welcome and long overdue.”

College of Policing officials were given a series of Brunei-related gifts in December 2012, including a £510 Swiss-made men’s watch. The watch, which was given by a senior superintendent in Brunei’s police force, was accepted but sold at auction to raise money for charity.

Other gifts included two £5 Brunei baseball caps, a £15 Brunei “swagger stick” – a short stick carried by an officer – and two Brunei police tie pins worth a total of £5. A £10 plaque depicting Brunei’s policing rank structure was also handed over.

The gifts were all retained by the college’s office, apart from the swagger stick which was kept by the recipient. In return, the College of Policing gave two £5 metal notepads and two £5 Parker pens.

A College of Policing spokesman explained that staff were not allowed to keep gifts worth more than £25, adding: “It is common for police forces to share token gifts and souvenirs when travelling internationally and we publish a register of gifts on our website each quarter.”

The College of Policing’s deputy chief constable, Bernie O’Reilly, said: “All training delivered by the College of Policing is consistent with the British model of policing by consent and respect for human rights and dignity is interwoven into our courses. We have consideration for our code of ethics and human rights before any decision is made to deliver training to police forces overseas.

“In light of recent legislative changes in Brunei we will not be undertaking any training in the country if a request is made.”

Brunei, which has a population of 430,000 people, is situated on the island of Borneo and gained full independence from Britain in 1984.

A senior official in Brunei’s foreign ministry said: “The decision of the College of Policing is certainly highly regrettable. The cooperation over the years is much appreciated. Their decision is respected and certainly there is no intention to politicise the issue further.”