A FORMER police officer is facing a misconduct hearing after claims he made up parts of a witness statement.

Paul Shearsby is due to face a misconduct panel on Monday as part of Cumbria Police’s disciplinary process.

The panel will consider if his alleged behaviour constitutes gross misconduct.

The former Cumbrian officer, who has resigned from the force, is alleged to have left out or altered certain facts having prepared a written statement for a witness. 

The allegations say: "It is alleged that on 3rd March 2021 PC2793 SHEARSBY, prepared a written witness statement for a member of the public in which certain facts were omitted or altered to give the impression from the statement that the member of the public was witness to events they had not actually seen.

"It is further alleged that this conduct, if proven, amounts to Gross Misconduct and is so serious as to justify dismissal."

The hearing is due to be held on Monday and is expected to last for two days.

The panel will be led by a legally qualified chair, who is assisted by an officer of superintendent rank and an independent lay person.

The hearing will take place at Cumbria Police HQ at Penrith from 10am.

The case will be held in public due to new legislation introduced in 2015.

Misconduct hearings should be held in public to improve transparency and accountability, police say.

The last Cumbria Police officer to face a misconduct hearing was PC Adam Barski.

The south Cumbria-based officer was ruled to have committed gross misconduct and sacked after the tribunal. 

It was found between December 2017 and March 2019 he shared operationally-sensitive information and images with a family member and a friend.

Last year another officer was barred from policing having resigned from the force.

PC Sarah Richardson was due to face a misconduct hearing after she was witnessed leaving a party to buy cocaine.

The allegations were proven but she resigned before any action could be formally taken.