An Essex Police detective has been booted off the force after driving into a car park kerb repeatedly while off duty and over the drink drive limit.

Detective Sergeant Philip Greaves was stopped by officers in a supermarket car park on July 8 of last year following calls from a concerned member of the public who felt threatened by his erratic behaviour.

His car had been hitting the car park kerb repeatedly and, when officers breathalysed the off-duty officer, they found that he was over the legal drink drive limit and he was immediately arrested and suspended from active policing duties.

He entered a guilty plea for a charge of drink driving when appearing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court earlier this year.

At an accelerated misconduct hearing at police headquarters in Chelmsford, chaired by Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, a panel found that the detective's actions had amounted to gross and discreditable misconduct.

Bosses decided to kick him off of the force with immediate effect and Greaves was placed on the College of Policing Advisory list, which will prevent him from working in policing in the future.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said: “The overwhelming majority of our officers, staff and volunteers do an outstanding job protecting and serving Essex in line with our code of ethics and the law. That is why it is so disappointing that a Sergeant has been convicted of drink driving.

“We will investigate allegations of wrongdoing against our people and the public can be assured that the minority that are found to have fallen short of the high standards the public rightly expect they will be held to account.

“In this case Sergeant Greaves has been convicted of a criminal offence.

"At an accelerated misconduct hearing, I have dismissed Sergeant Greaves as his conviction, and the action that brought it about, bring discredit on the force amounting to gross misconduct. This seriously risks undermining the public’s trust and confidence in Essex Police.

“It is always a shame when an officer with a previously good record is dismissed, but the public are entitled to expect the highest standards from those charged with protecting them.”