Northamptonshire police officer faces hearing over drink driving

BBC Wootton Hall, Northampton Police headquartersBBC
A hearing will be held by Northamptonshire Police on Monday

A police officer banned from driving after she crashed a car while nearly three times over the drink-drive limit is due to face a misconduct hearing.

PC Rachel Cantwell, of Northamptonshire Police, was off-duty on 11 December when the car left the road, mounted and embankment and rolled on its side.

She lost her licence after admitting drink-driving at Oxford Magistrates' Court in December.

A misconduct hearing will be held on Monday.

PC Cantwell, who lives in Leicestershire, was off-duty and driving a Suzuki Vitara along Silver Lane, West Challow, near Wantage in Oxfordshire.

She was breathalysed at the scene and had 99 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

She was arrested and two further samples gave readings of 100 and 97 micrograms respectively.

PC Cantwell was banned from driving for 23 months and made the subject of an 18-month community order at the court on Thursday, 19 January.

A hearing chaired by Northamptonshire Police's temporary chief constable Paul Gibson will be held on Monday, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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