A SENIOR police officer under investigation for trying to view a computer disk featuring “potentially offensive”

images will not face disciplinary action for misconduct.

An inquiry into Adam Briggs, deputy chief constable of North Yorkshire Police, was launched in April, after the disk was found in a laptop he used for force business.

North Yorkshire Police Authority said yesterday the images were intended to be humourous and were neither pornographic nor criminal.

Forensic evidence has showed that Mr Briggs did not view the disk and he has also apologised for the incident.

The police authority said the disk, which Mr Briggs said was sent to him by someone he knew, included items that could have been of use to him in his work, but also contained “poster-style advertisements and photographs”.

A spokesman said: “At no time did Deputy Chief Constable Briggs view the disk.

“This has been confirmed by forensic analysis.”

The authority’s professional standards sub-committee, which considered the case, said Mr Briggs breached policy regarding the prohibition of use of unauthorised removable computer media.

The committee said there was no need for further disciplinary proceedings, but that it would be made clear to Mr Briggs that he must follow force policies at all times.

Mr Briggs said: “I attempted to view the contents of the disc on my office laptop, but the computer was unable to open it.

“I intended to get the IT department to open it for me, but before this was done, the laptop was taken away as part of an upgrade, with the disk still inside and unopened.

“The disc was subsequently opened by the IT department and an investigation was launched.”

Mr Briggs acknowledged some of the images on the disk were “inappropriate and distasteful”.

He said: “I would never have used them.”

He said he accepted the decision and authority’s advice.

Mr Briggs joined North Yorkshire Police in June 2007 and previously worked for Cleveland Police.

■ A separate inquiry into allegations that Mr Briggs and Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell helped relatives during a police recruitment exercise is ongoing.