Drink-driver cop tried to cover tracks with lies

A TOP cop that flouted the law and tried to cover her tracks by lying to colleagues has been given the boot from Cleveland Police.

- By JADE MCELWEE

Detective constable Andrea Murphy-King was caught more than double the drink-drive limit while on duty on the A19 destroying an "unblemished career".

The now former detective, with a criminal record, was the subject of an Accelerated Police Misconduct Hearing on Thursday.

Chief constable Mark Webster said he was left with no choice but to dismiss the officer, with over 20 years of experience, without notice.

He stated that the 48-year-old "high-performing" detective committed a "serious" case of gross misconduct and a final written warning would not be "adequate" as "drinkdriving will not be tolerated".

However, after delivering his verdict, the chief constable added that it was one of the "saddest" police mis- OFFICER WITH 24 YEARS OF SERVICE IS BOOTED OUT conduct cases he has ever held and thanked Murphy-King for her 24 years of service.

Murphy-King's misconduct hearing came as a result of her drink driving conviction where she was stopped twice by her colleagues for "swerving" around the A689 and then the A19 before being breath tested. The detective, was spotted in a green Mini driving on the A689, before she mounted a kerb at a roundabout and swerved in a lane on the A19.