Police officer is sacked after off-duty drink-drive conviction
APOLICE officer convicted of drink-driving off-duty has been sacked. court had rejected PC Robert Hill’s claim that he had only passed the legal limit after stopping his car and drinking most of a bottle of wine.
PC Hill, 32, of Prestatyn, Denbighshire, who had just passed his sergeant’s exam in his role with North Wales Police, had denied driving a Vauxhall Astra with a breath-alcohol count of 54 on the night of July 18. The legal limit is 35.
A special case police misconduct hearing has since been conducted by chief constable Carl Foulkes at police headquarters, Colwyn Bay.
PC Hill faced an allegation that he had breached the standards of professional behaviour.
Chief constable Foulkes considered representations from PC Hill’s
Police Federation representative about the circumstances of the offence and PC Hill’s personal life at the time.
In a statement, North Wales Police said: ”Chief constable Foulkes recognised that PC Hill was a good officer who was going through a difficult period in his life.
“However, this was balanced against the fact that PC Hill did not accept his conviction and there had been a potential for serious harm to have been caused on the night in question.
“Having considered all of the circumstances, mitigating and aggravating factors, the outcome was dismissal without notice.
“PC Hill will now be added to the change for generations to come,” she said. “I’d love schools and families across the country to take part in the week to help children and young people to ‘find their brave’.”
Catherine Roche, chief executive of Place2Be, added: “This week, schools across the UK are helping pupils understand what it means to be brave.
“Life often throws challenges our way, and it’s important that children of all ages know it’s not a weakness to speak up or ask for help. We are delighted our Royal Patron is once again offering her support for the campaign.
“Around three children in every class have a mental health problem, so it’s vital that we reach as many people as possible with this important message.” barred list as maintained by the College of Policing.”
The court hearing back in December, was told that Hill was found in the field after a call was made from his Prestatyn home.
The call had been abandoned but when officers traced it and went to the house, his partner said they’d had a row and he had driven off.
Llandudno Magistrates’ Court heard that Hill had apparently gone to the field to self-harm.
He had been suffering anxiety and depression and had stopped taking his medication without consulting his doctor.
The police who found him were worried for his welfare. They smelled alcohol on his breath and saw that his eyes were glazed over.
Hill told the court that his “brain was a little all over the place”.
He said he couldn’t believe it when he found himself under arrest for drink-driving, adding: “I have been a police officer for eight years and have actively targeted drink-drivers. I would not commit the offence of drink-driving.”
But the prosecutor in the case, Gareth Parry, said Hill’s defence – that he had drunk three-quarters of a bottle of rosé wine after arriving at the scene – had only emerged once he’d spoken to a solicitor.
He had made no mention to the officers of having drunk any wine in the field, Mr Parry said, arguing Hill’s defence “lacked credibility”.
But Hill’s defence solicitor Steve Levine said there had been plenty of time for him to have drunk at the scene, adding: “There’s no direct evidence of this man drink-driving.”
District Judge Gwyn Jones said he was “satisfied [Hill’s] recollection was significantly impaired”.
He said: “It’s clear the week in question had been a stressful time for Mr Hill.
“He had lost his grandfather a few days before. He had been suffering from anxiety and depression and he had, without medical guidance, stopped taking medication. This has obviously had some impact on him.
“He wasn’t able to look at matters as objectively as he would otherwise have been able to.”
Hill, of Aberconwy Road, had denied driving the Vauxhall Astra on July 18 while over the legal limit. He blew a reading of 54, 19 over the legal limit of 35.
Judge Jones fined him £700, ordered him to pay £690 costs and banned him from driving for 14 months.