A civilian police staff investigator is today suspended from duty after pleading guilty to drink-driving to work.

IPSWICH: A civilian police staff investigator is today suspended from duty after pleading guilty to drink-driving to work.

Arthur Slocum was found to be twice the legal limit after turning up at Ipswich police station smelling of alcohol.

The father-of-three pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He has been banned from driving for 16 months, fined �300 and told to pay court costs of �85 and a �15 victim surcharge.

The 41-year-old, of Blake Road, Stowmarket, has also been suspended by Suffolk police pending an internal investigation.

The court was told how colleagues smelt alcohol on Slocum's breath when he arrived for work on November 18.

After making a full admission, he was found to have 74mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Prosecutor Samantha Leigh said: “They (his colleagues) knew he lived in Stowmarket so they knew he had driven down.

“He has been fully co-operative and explained he had problems sleeping.”

Slocum's lawyer, Neil Saunders, said his client was suffering from an as yet unidentified illness.

He said: “He has made considerable efforts and has admitted he has a drink problem, which is a very difficult thing to do.”

He said Slocum had been on half pay for some time because of his illness.

Slocum, who has no previous convictions, was accompanied in court by his wife and colleagues.

Chairman of the magistrates, Peter Page, told him: “The level of alcohol in your blood requires a substantial period of disqualification.”

Speaking after the case, a spokeswoman for Suffolk police said: “He (Slocum) has a precautionary suspension pending an internal investigation to decide what action, if any, will be taken with regard to his employment.

“Due to the investigation, we are unable to comment at this time.”

Police staff investigators are responsible for a wide range of tasks, including assessing and preparing crime reports, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.

They have been introduced so police officers can spend more time on the beat.

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