Corrupt Hamilton police officer Craig Ruthowsky was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for taking bribes and helping the city’s drug dealers ply their trade.

He also has to pay back $250 000 within one year or he goes to prison for an additional three years. The judge said the fine was in lieu of forfeiting property and Ruthowsky’s wife owns half of all his assets.

Ruthowsky’s mother sobbed as the judge delivered his sentence, his wife and in-laws all shuddered with tears.

As Ruthowsky was being led away in handcuffs his mother called his name and he turned, said: sorry, I love you.

In the hallway leaving court his family members said, it’s not fair, he didn’t take a cent.

But the judge said he didn’t think the family members really knew Ruthowsky. Their support letters said that the officer had suffered enough, as if he had just gotten sick, not corrupt.

“He freely chose to break the law because it was extremely lucrative, and he was arrogant enough to think he could do so with impunity,” the judge said. “How much did his wife know?” the judge asked.

Christine Ruthowsky is also a Hamilton police detective, in court she shook her head wildly when he implied she must have known more than she let on.

The judge and jury found that the 44-year-old gangs and guns detective did take $20 000 a month from drug dealers and in exchange Ruthowsky helped them deal drugs with impunity.

The judge said Ruthowsky “is a man of profoundly flawed character.”

Ruthowsky tried hard to show the jury he was an exemplary police officer – but he did it by repeatedly disparaging fellow officers, who he depicted as indolent and unmotivated.

When he had a chance to speak after conviction, Ruthowsky talked about how his life was ruined.

He felt supreme entitlement, the judge said. “He has no insight into the profoundly wrong nature of his actions. I see no remorse.”

The judge said the initial sentencing suggestions from the lawyers were too low, with the crown at 10 years. He called Ruthowsky’s explanations at trial far-fetched and fanciful and said Ruthowsky was motivated by “sheer, unbridled greed.”

It is not known at this time when exactly Craig Ruthowsky will lose his job; he will be served papers to that effect under the police act but it might be a process that takes longer.

On Thursday his lawyer is planning to go to the court of appeal and argue to get Ruthowsky out on bail again, pending that appeal.