A FORMER Special Constable has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

Devon and Cornwall police have released details about an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing which was held for a former Special Constable.

The officer, who resigned before the hearing took place, was not in attendance.

In his absence, Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer determined that had the officer still been serving, they would have been dismissed without notice.

The former officer, who has not been named, had previously accepted a criminal caution for intentionally delaying a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post while employed as a postal operator.

His behaviour was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of Honesty & Integrity and Discreditable Conduct and was so serious to have amounted to gross misconduct.

Head of Professional Standards, Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell said: ‘The public should be able to trust that all of our officers, whether volunteers or regulars, act with the highest levels of honesty and integrity. The behaviour of the officer fell well below the standards expected within policing.

‘Conduct of this kind, whether on or off duty, will not be tolerated within Devon & Cornwall Police and therefore this was the right and proper outcome.’