Cambridgeshire police officer admits drinking ‘three bottles of wine’ before driving to work

The officer will be dismissed without notice after being found to have committed gross misconduct

A Cambridgeshire Police officer faced a misconduct hearing accused of drink-driving to work. The accelerated hearing, held on April 17, found that the officer breached the standards of discreditable conduct and fitness for duty.

It was alleged that the officer drove to Cambridgeshire Constabulary Headquarters on December 23, 2025, while over the prescribed limit. Officers attended with a breath test machine, the accused officer provided a positive breath test, and they were arrested for driving over the limit.

In interview, the officer admitted to consuming alcohol in the early hours of December 23 and driving into work later the same morning, according to the public notice of the hearing.

The officer was then charged with driving a motor vehicle on a road after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in their breath exceeded the prescribed limit. They appeared at Luton Magistrates’ Court on January 15, 2026, where the officer pleaded guilty.

Evidence considered at the misconduct hearing included footage of the officer driving to work, witness statements from police colleagues, and the officer’s admission that he consumed ‘three bottles of wine’ in the early hours.

The hearing concluded that the allegations were proven “on the balance of probabilities”. The officer’s representative reportedly said that the officer did not accept their conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

The officer was found to have committed gross misconduct and the panel concluded that the officer will face disciplinary action and be dismissed without further notice. This decision was made to “maintain public trust and confidence and to deter misconduct”.