Senior police chief who condemned colleague for drink-driving admits being caught three times over the limit

A senior police chief who condemned a colleague for drink-driving admitted to being caught more than three times the legal limit himself. 

Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell was off-duty when he was spotted ‘swerving across the road’ in his Peugeot 308 on the A352 in Wool, Wareham last month. 

The 45-year-old from Stoborough, Dorset, was pulled over and arrested by members of his own police force after he was found to be ‘smelling strongly of alcohol‘ and ‘unsteady on his feet’. 

The police officer, who previously led his force’s professional standards department, has frequently been used by both the Dorset and Devon and Cornwall forces to provide comments condemning misconduct by his colleagues.

He pleaded guilty to driving while three times the legal limit at Southampton Magistrates Court. He will be sentenced in November. 

Prosecutor Tom Corke told the court that police were called after Det Supt Kessell was seen ‘driving erratically’ on August 4 this year. 

Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell was off-duty when he was spotted ‘swerving across the road’ in his Peugeot 308 on the A352 in Wool, Wareham last month

‘Officers were deployed and they find the vehicle is, it turns out, being driven by the defendant who was driving on the A352’, he said. 

The court heard that the officer was searched before being arrested near his HQ Winfrith Newburg after he blew 115 micrograms of alcohol in a 100ml of breath. 

The legal limit is 35 micrograms. 

David Hurley, mitigating, said there are ‘mental health concerns’ in relation to the defendant and that psychiatric reports will need to be prepared. 

Det Supt Kessell has previously and frequently condemned colleagues who had been found guilty of misconduct. 

Speaking of one officer who was caught driving twice the legal limit while off-duty, Det Supt Kessell said: ‘We expect our officers to uphold the standards of professional behaviour at all times, while on and off duty.

‘His behaviour brought discredit upon the police service and could undermine public confidence.

‘Such behaviour will not be tolerated within policing and the decision made by the panel was that the officer should be dismissed without notice’. 

He made the comments in 2022 when he was Head of Alliance Professional Standards for the Dorset force and Devon and Cornwall Police. 

The officer pleaded guilty to driving while three times the legal limit at Southampton Magistrates Court

Det Supt Kessell has previously and frequently condemned colleagues who had been found guilty of misconduct

The officer, who was in charge of firearms licensing in Dorset, has been suspended and could face the sack upon conviction.  

Det Supt Kessell is due to be sentenced on November 5, and has a disciplinary hearing scheduled for October 23. 

Other dates were suggested to the court for sentencing but these were amended due to Det Supt Kessell having a week-long holiday booked in late October. 

Concluding the hearing, District Judge Anthony Callaway said: ‘I have to disqualify you on an interim basis. Please do not drive your car on the road at this very moment’. 

The court heard that the actual length of the disqualification ‘will be a matter’ for the sentencing hearing in November.