Trainee police officer caught drink-driving after hearing of abuse

Exeter magistrates wished Hayward well with his criminology degree saying he was "getting his life back on track"

A trainee police officer was caught drink-driving after hearing details of sexual abuse cases during his course.

James Hayward, 20, was more than twice the legal limit when he was stopped near Taunton by colleagues and an empty beer bottle was found in his car.

Hayward, of Kingston St Mary, in Somerset, said he had been affected by discussions of historical sexual abuse and had since resigned.

Magistrates banned him from driving for 17 months and he was fined £316.

Police received information the driver of a Ford Fiesta on the M5 was under the influence of alcohol at 09:10 GMT on 12 March, Exeter Magistrates' Court was told.

Hayward was stopped on the A358 and told his Avon and Somerset Police colleagues he had suffered a meltdown and he "felt over the limit".

'Lifetime ambition'

He was arrested and found to be more than twice the drink-drive limit.

The court heard Hayward, who is now planning to study criminology at university, had begun his police training in January this year.

Defence lawyer Peter Seigne said: "Part of the course looked at criminal investigations. He began to feel particularly affected by discussions of historic sexual abuse."

Mr Seigne added that after starting police training Hayward began drinking too much and "began to wonder whether his lifetime ambition to become a police officer was the right thing for him, with very unpleasant things being reported to him quite regularly".

Hayward went out with colleagues the night before he was stopped, and then decided the next morning to drive to his family home to discuss whether he had embarked on the right career.

After admitting drink-driving, Hayward had to resign or be sacked for gross misconduct. Five days after his arrest, he quit the force.