Drink-driving Cheshire Police officer is banned from profession following crash

A CHESHIRE Police officer has been struck off and banned from the profession after being convicted of drink-driving.

A recent misconduct hearing was held by the force regarding PC Owen Bourne.

It comes after the 20-year-old, of Alsager, was involved in a crash when above the alcohol drink-drive limit.

An outcome notice has now been published, stating that, had the Crewe-based beat officer not resigned, he would have been dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement

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The hearing heard that PC Bourne was involved in a road traffic collision on July 30 this year, when he was driving a blue BMW two-series on the A500 in Stoke-on-Trent.

Following the crash, he provided a sample of breath that indicated that he was driving with alcohol in his system, in excess of the legal limit.

A further blood test showed that the level of alcohol in his system at the time of the crash was 128 milligrams per 100 millilitres of his blood, with the legal limit being 80 milligrams.

On October 21, he appeared before North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without due care and attention. Advertisement

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He was disqualified from driving for 16 months and fined GBP120, with magistrates also ordering him to pay court costs of GBP85 and a surcharge of GBP48.

The misconduct hearing heard that PC Bourne's behaviour in relation to the incident breached the force's standard of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct.

In the decision notice, chief constable Mark Roberts ruled that dismissal without notice would have been the most appropriate sanction in this case, had former PC Bourne not previously resigned.

As a result, he has been placed on the barred list, which will prevent his re-entry into the profession.

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CC Roberts said: "Former PC Bournes' conduct is undoubtedly gross misconduct. He made the conscious decision to drive his vehicle after consuming alcohol.

"The level of alcohol in his system exceeded the legal limit. I find that his actions were pre-meditated.

He, and only he, made the decision to drive.

"His decision making was totally unacceptable and demonstrates a clear lack of insight into the impact his actions could have had.

"I am aware a collision occurred because of his driving, which aggravates his position, and it is by sheer luck that no-one was more seriously injured.

"Such behaviour and decision making are unacceptable in policing and in Cheshire Police, and this will not be tolerated. Advertisement Advertisement

"I am disappointed that an officer in this organisation felt this conduct was acceptable.

"Clearly, the only appropriate sanction is dismissal without notice, had the officer not already resigned, and his details will be added to the barred list."