A SERVING police officer faces losing his job after he was convicted of masturbating in a First Class train carriage.

PC Terry Malka, 33, tried to hide his penis with a headrest cover when he was spotted pleasuring himself by station staff.

When a train guard asked the officer for his ticket after spotting him masturbating again, he produced his Met police warrant card.

PC Malka changed his plea to guilty after an expert report failed to confirm his actions were the result of a sleep disorder.

The officer was also described in court as suffering from priapism – a condition which causes sufferers to remain erect for hours.

Lewes Crown Court heard the officer joined the Met after serving as a special constable during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Prosecutor Edward Hand told the court that train staff said the officer appeared to have been drinking when they spoke to him on the 21.56 East Croydon to Horsham train on December 18 last year.

After falling asleep in the train's toilet, he took the return journey towards Gatwick after being advised there were no more trains to take him home to East Grinstead.

Station staff on the platform spotted him masturbating in the First Class carriage and he was taken off the train and police were called.

Mr Hand said: “Just after 22.55 a railway employee looked into a train and saw this defendant masturbating inside a carriage.

"He was slouched in the chair with his legs open with a head cover from one of the seats in this hand.”

Another member of staff was able to look inside the train and confirmed the officer was still masturbating.

“He looked up and saw the staff and used the headrest cover to cover up his penis,” Mr Hand said.

“He asked them to stop for a moment, then carried on.”

The station staff alerted train staff and they approached him when he emerged from the toilet.

“The train staff noticed he appeared to be masturbating again,” Mr Hand said.

“The train was between Three Bridges and Gatwick.

“He reached over and took another headrest cover off another seat.”

When the train reached Gatwick, PC Malka was arrested.

He gave a "no comment" interview to police on January 24 this year.

After being shown CCTV from the platform and inside the train, he gave a prepared statement.

“In summary he admitted his behaviour was out of character he had no recollection of the journey or staff," Mr Hand said.

“He made reference to previous sexual activity with his girlfriend when he was asleep and thought the same must have happened.

“The Met Police are fully aware of this matter.

“His continued service as a PC is yet to be determined.

“He has been served with the relevant notices in the wake of his conviction.”

Heather Oliver, for PC Malka, said he is an exemplary officer.

“He recognises this was a wholly unacceptable course of conduct.

“He’s clearly not seeking an audience or a reaction.

“He’s clearly in his own world.

“He is utterly humiliated, ashamed and embarrassed and he must take on the chin the loss of his good name.”

The defence expert found the PC suffered from a sleep disorder.

The officer was also suffering from sleep deprivation while working long hours on the Met moped task force, Ms Oliver said.

He also suffers from possible priapism, she said.

“It's not why he was in this position by what he did about it,” Ms Oliver said.

His inspector described PC Malka as an outstanding officer, Ms Oliver added.

He was rated number one out of 65 officers in his team, she told the court.

Recorder Benjamin Gumpert QC said: “Railway staff saw you masturbating and using a head rest cover to cover your penis and being seen to be seen.

“Despite that you carried on what you were doing.

“You were later seen by a guard still to be masturbating.

“It seems to be agreed the chances of you continuing in the Met police are close to zero.”

PC Malka appeared to be holding back tears as he nodded when he was told he would carry out 100 hours community work.

Asked by the Recorder if he understood, the PC said: “Yes, your honour.”

PC Malka must also pay a £300 contribution to the prosecution costs.