Cleveland Police officer sentenced for dangerous driving

Paul Webster resigned from the force in January

A Cleveland Police officer who drove the wrong way down a slip road while under the influence of alcohol, has been given a community order.

Paul Webster, who was off-duty at the time, had earlier admitted dangerous driving after being stopped on the A66 near Middlesbrough on 17 December.

The 38-year-old, from Billingham, was more than twice the legal alcohol limit at the time.

He was handed a 12 month community order at Teesside Crown Court.

'Ashamed and sorry'

The former PCSO, who was in his training period as a police officer at the time he was arrested, resigned from the force in January.

The court heard how Webster was "genuinely ashamed and sorry" for his actions..

Passing sentence judge Stephen Ashurst said Webster had learnt a "very hard lesson" from his irresponsible decision to drive and had put an end to a promising career.

He had resigned, the judge added, out of shame and disgrace for not meeting the high standards expected from a serving police officer.

Webster was also banned from driving for 18 months.