Inspector in trouble over booze-fuelled hotel row
Celebration led to room party and call to police
A boozy night out involving Kent Police workers ended with a senior officer facing disciplinary charges.
Alex Jones and 19 other officers and civilian workers hit the town after a successful fun run and to celebrate a colleague’s birthday.
But a three-day disciplinary hearing heard this week, the night ended with on-duty officers being called to the Travelodge in St Peter’s Street, Maidstone, amid reports of aggressive and abusive behaviour.
However, the gross misconduct case against Insp Jones, who had been an officer with Kent Police for 26 years, soon collapsed.
Sarah Ellis, barrister for the police authority, advised the three-person panel she was unable to call three of her witnesses – including the security guard – and therefore could not support a number of the accusations.
The panel decided to proceed on a lesser charge of discreditable behaviour as he refused to leave the hotel when requested. He was found guilty of this charge yesterday (Thursday).
They heard three civilian staff – Emma Streets, Sadie Martin and Rosie Carpenter – booked the hotel room.
Insp Jones was among a party of six or seven who met up in the early evening in their hotel room for a drink before going into town.
Later someone suggested buying kebabs and reconvening in the women’s room to eat them and continue drinking.
But when Insp Jones arrived with Sadie Martin, at around 1.30am, the hotel’s security officer objected because no guests were allowed in rooms after 10.30pm and the room had been booked for only three people. Police were then called. Insp Jones was initially accused of using “inappropriate force” on the security guard, of failing to challenge the behaviour of junior members of staff which was abusive towards hotel staff, and failing to co-operate with uniformed officers.
The hearing heard Insp Jones had started his career as a bobby on the beat, working his way up through the ranks, being custody sergeant at Maidstone police station to a temporary inspector rank in the firearms command and finally becoming inspector in tactical command. He has been suspended since the incident.