THE FORMER head of a police force’s professional standards department has been banned from driving for 25 months for “swerving all over the road” while drink-driving.

Paul Kessell resigned as a detective superintendent at Dorset Police after pleading guilty in September at Southampton Magistrates’ Court to driving while three times the legal limit.

The 45-year-old, from Stoborough, was subsequently found to have committed gross misconduct by the force which said he would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned.

He had admitted drink-driving in his Peugeot car on the A352 at Wool, near Wareham, on August 4.

He was stopped and gave a breath test with a reading of 115 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, which is more than three times the legal limit of 35mcg.

He has now been sentenced to a driving ban for 25 months, a 12-month community order to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and a 12-month mental health treatment requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a victim surcharge.

David Finney, prosecuting, said Kessell was arrested after members of the public alerted police to his driving.

He said: “There were several calls from members of the public about standards of driving, swerving all over the road, almost going into a hedge at one point.”

David Hurley, defending, said that his client had been suffering mental health difficulties and added: “This event did provide a wake-up call and a change in his direction in life.

“He was suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and he was self-medicating through the use of alcohol.

“This was committed when he was driving past Dorset Police headquarters which triggered flashbacks, he bought alcohol and consumed it before driving.

“It was the most stupid mistake in his life because of the effects not only on him but his family.

“He lives in a small village which will cause him problems in so many ways with public transport.

“In terms of his employment, he did resign but they found gross misconduct against him.

“As a consequence of this his pension is hit in a huge way.

“His estimate is it will cost him hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“He has suffered because he was a police officer in a way that you or I wouldn’t suffer for this offence.”

Mr Hurley said that his client had sought mental health support and joined Alcoholics Anonymous.

Sentencing him, District Judge Anthony Callaway said: “The court cannot overlook the fact the reading was a high reading, 115mcg in breath, this is three times the legal limit.

“No accident resulted but concerned members of the public noted your vehicle was being driven in an erratic manner.”

The judge said that he had read references for Kessell, including one from the chief constable, which “spoke very highly” of him.

He added: “I note the devastating consequences this matter has had for you, your family and your career.”

He continued: “It needs to be stated that persons such as yourself that occupy public positions, and in your case a high ranking position, have to set an example and to be held to a higher standard.”

He added that the defendant had expressed “how deeply ashamed and saddened” he was by his behaviour.

The judge said that Kessell was in a “demanding” role and added: “I recognise the toll these stresses have on a person such as yourself and lack of healthy coping strategies for mental health issues exacerbated by investigations.”

He added: “These factors represent good personal mitigation but they do not excuse the fateful decision you made to consume drink in the quantity you did and drive the car in the manner the evidence indicates.

“Fortuitously no accident occurred and there was no injury and I also bear in mind this is your first offence which you admitted at the first opportunity.”