North Wales Police officer crashed car taking dog to vet

Traffic officer Anja Macleod lied to her sergeant she was looking for a disqualified driver, it is claimed

A PC is facing the sack after crashing an unmarked police car after taking her dog to the vet.

Traffic officer Anja Macleod, who joined the force in 2004, lied to her sergeant that she was looking for a disqualified driver, it is claimed.

North Wales Police claimed PC Macleod's behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

Sgt Jason Diamond told a misconduct hearing at Colwyn Bay he had not been told by the officer that her pet, named Guinness, was in the vehicle.

A taxi driver involved in the crash mentioned she had a dog.

Later, PC Macleod sent Sgt Diamond a WhatsApp message saying: "I hate letting you down."

He told the hearing that the following weekend, two bottles of wine were left on his desk in Llandegai, Bangor, which he was told were from PC Macleod.

• Man wrecked police car by reversing into it twice

• Road closures do not mean drive on grass - police

• Van lands on roof after crash on terraced street

Sgt Diamond said: "I informed my line manager and asked another supervisor to return them."

The officer said PC Macleod radioed him on May 26 last year asking for an hour off to go to the vets.

He said yes, but told the hearing nothing was mentioned about taking a police car.

He went to the scene after she told him of the crash at Dyserth Bends, near Prestatyn.

"She told me that she had caused the collision by being across the road," Sgt Diamond said.

"She told me she was in the area looking for a disqualified driver."

Presenting lawyer Matthew Holdcroft said PC Macleod had her own vehicle and using a police car was "entirely contrary to being off duty".

Police vehicle data showed she left her base and drove home, before going to the vet.

A notice of the misconduct hearing states PC Macleod used the police vehicle "without authority to carry out the journey and subsequently failed to record the period of absence".

It alleges she has "breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to honesty and integrity, duties and responsibilities, and discreditable conduct".

PC Macleod said she was an "animal lover" with horses, cats and dogs and asked Sgt Diamond if she could take time off to go to an emergency vet's appointment.

She said she explained she would have her police radio with her and be in uniform and on duty.

PC Macleod said she would have attended any incident, leaving the dog with the vet.

She denied calling her husband, a custody sergeant named Craig, to take Guinness away from the scene so she could pretend her pet had not been there.

PC Macleod said she bought Sgt Diamond wine, rather than paying a "cake fine," because he was not keen on cake and it was not to keep him "sweet."

She accepted no-one gave her permission to have a dog in a police car.

The hearing continues.