ALLEGATIONS of gross misconduct have been found proven against an ex policeman who sent over 2,700 personal tweets during his time as a serving officer many of which were judged to be abusive, offensive or inappropriate.

A week long hearing was held in front of a specially convened misconduct panel at North Yorkshire police headquarters in Northallerton last week into allegations against officer 1005 David France.

Information about the decision of the panel has been released by North Yorkshire Police who said he had breached the Standard of Professional Behaviour.

They added: "It is alleged that on or between October 10 2017 and November 5 2019 and whilst a serving police officer, former officer 1005 France sent a total of 2,719 ‘tweets’ from his personal Twitter handle.

"A proportion of the 'tweets' are considered to be abusive and/or offensive and/or inappropriate in nature and contained language concerning protected characteristics, including gender, disability and race.

"The ‘tweets’ were all publicly viewable and some were posted whilst former officer 1005 France was on duty.

"The panel concluded that the allegation was proven and amounted to gross misconduct.

"The sanction of the panel was that, had the former officer still been serving with North Yorkshire Police he would have been dismissed without notice.

"Former officer 1005 France will be placed on the College of Policing Barred and Advisory list." This means that the former PC will not be allowed to work as a police officer at any other force in the United Kingdom.

Misconduct hearings are conducted by a panel of three people.

They are chaired by a legally qualified chair along with a police officer of at least superintendent rank, who has had no previous dealings with the case, and an independent lay person who has been selected from an approved list held by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The panel has powers only in relation to disciplinary matters with limited actions open to them if the allegations are found proven. These include:

• Dismissal without notice

• Dismissal with notice

• Final written warning

• Written warning

• Management advice

No further information has been given of the details of the allegations against the officer who is understood to have left the force in 2020.

Misconduct hearings involving police officers have been held in public since May 2015 as part of moves annouonced by the government and police to improve openness and accountability and ensure public confidence.

Mr France could not be contacted to comment on the gross misconduct findings.