Former Essex police chief sued over payments

A former chief constable of Essex is being sued by his old force in a dispute over a "golden handcuffs" bonus payment.

Roger Baker was employed by Essex Police on a salary of £139,000 between 2005 and 2009. Over that period he received an extra £85,000 to reward him for staying at the force.

But now the county's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Nick Alston, has confirmed he is taking legal action against Mr Baker who went on to work for police watchdog, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, and is now a director at Colchester Hospital.

Mr Alston said the deal paid to the 56-year-old former North Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable fell outside Home Office payment regulations and that he had been aware of this irregularity since 2013.

The PCC also said that he felt it was time for a national review of chief office allowances and bonuses to "guarantee consistency and accountability".