A 26-year-old police officer has been sacked from Hampshire Constabulary after being found nearly four times over the drink-drive limit while on duty, in full uniform, and behind the wheel of a marked police car.
PC Lauren Payne was discovered at Popham Services, Hampshire, on 17 January, where she was slumped in the driver’s seat of a police vehicle with an almost empty 700ml bottle of gin beside her.
Colleagues Suspected a Medical Emergency
Initially, responding officers thought PC Payne was suffering a medical episode, such as a panic attack. However, they soon detected the strong smell of alcohol. When breathalysed, she registered 137 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath – nearly four times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
PC Payne was immediately arrested while on duty, and later pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court to driving whilst unfit through drink. She resigned from the force on 3 February, just a day before her court hearing.
Gross Misconduct and Dismissal
A police misconduct hearing held in Eastleigh found that Payne had committed gross misconduct, resulting in her immediate dismissal from Hampshire Constabulary.
Chief Constable Scott Chilton, who led the disciplinary panel, stated:
“The consequences of the officer’s actions could have been catastrophic. The police are here to uphold the law, not break it. It was only luck that no member of the public was harmed.”
She has now been placed on the College of Policing’s Barred List for five years, preventing her from working in any police force across the UK.
Judge Warns of Possible Prison Sentence
PC Payne, who has been diagnosed with acute stress disorder and alcoholism, is currently undergoing a residential rehabilitation programme.
She told the hearing in a statement:
“I only wish I had understood what I was going through and sought help sooner. My job was the only thing I could stay sober for. There was a build-up of traumatic events the week prior.”
Despite her struggles, the judge at Reading Magistrates’ Court has warned that she should prepare for a possible custodial sentence when she returns for sentencing on 1 April.
