Police Officer Busted Nearly Four Times Over Drink-Drive Limit – On Duty and in Uniform!
A 26-year-old police officer has been fired from Hampshire Constabulary after being caught nearly four times over the drink-drive limit while on duty, in full uniform, behind the wheel of a marked police car.
Slumped in Marked Police Car with Gin Bottle
PC Lauren Payne was found at Popham Services, Hampshire, on 17 January, slumped in the driver’s seat of a police vehicle. An almost empty 700ml bottle of gin lay beside her.
Colleagues Thought It Was a Medical Emergency – But It Was Alcohol
Initially, officers suspected she was having a medical episode like a panic attack. But the strong smell of booze soon gave it away. A breath test showed she had 137 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath – nearly four times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
She was arrested on the spot while still on duty and later pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court to drink-driving.
Gross Misconduct Hearing Leads to Dismissal
Payne resigned from the police force the day before her court hearing on 3 February. However, a misconduct hearing in Eastleigh found her guilty of gross misconduct, leading to her immediate dismissal from Hampshire Constabulary.
Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “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, banning her from working for any UK police force.
Judge Warns of Jail Time as Officer Battles Alcoholism
PC Payne has been diagnosed with acute stress disorder and alcoholism and is currently undergoing a residential rehab programme.
In a statement, she said: “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 this, the judge at Reading Magistrates’ Court warned Payne to brace for a possible custodial sentence at her sentencing hearing on 1 April.
