A FORMER Essex Police officer who was already on a 'final warning' for breaching professional standards blotted his copybook again and left the force in disgrace.

PC Christopher Leslie left the force by resigning but a hearing against him found that he would have been sacked as he had committed gross misconduct.

PC Leslie first found himself in hot water in November 2020 when, as a Detective Constable, he was found to have breached several professional standards of behaviour by a disciplinary panel and told he would be fired if he committed another offence.

The detective had secretly carried out 15 searches between 2009 and 2014 that were not work related.

The panel found had breached standards of honesty and integrity, orders and instructions, confidentiality and discreditable conduct at a level, all which amounted to gross misconduct.

After hearing mitigation the panel decided that he would receive a final written warning.

At the time deputy chief constable Pippa Mills said: "When, on one of the very small number of occasions, an officer falls below the standards expected of all our staff we will address it, as we have in this case."

However, it was a warning PC Leslie did not heed and at the latest hearing it was alleged that the  former officer failed to accurately record his hours and did not work his scheduled duty times.

The allegations related to three shifts in January 2022.

Chief constable Ben-Julian Harrington chaired an accelerated misconduct hearing on Thursday, 3 November 2022.

The allegations against PC Leslie were proven and if he had not already resigned in April 2022, he would have been dismissed. He will also be placed on the College of Policing Police Barred List.

CC Harrington said: "Honesty and integrity are core values I expect from any officer or staff member working at Essex Police.

"Everything we do is built upon our community's trust and confidence in us, and there is no place in our force for anyone who acts to break that trust.

"PC Leslie not only let down the public, but also those who work tirelessly across Essex Police to protect and serve."