Officer fined for neglect of duty is forced to quit

A POLICE officer who was fined for neglect of duty has resigned after a misconduct hearing.

Sergeant Alex Forbes, 40, appeared at Wick Sheriff Court in June last year and admitted two charges of failing to report two cases to the procurator-fiscal. He was fined 350.

Concerns of possible misconduct were raised after a routine internal back-office audit of procedures. Following the court case Northern Constabulary held an internal misconduct investigation and Mr Forbes was "required to resign".

Earlier this week, an internal investigation led to the suspension of another Northern officer in the same force.

The move follows inquiries into allegations that the force did not respond adequately to a 999 call made by Donna Forrest weeks before she was murdered at her home at Balintore, Easter Ross, last April. In July, Philip Fraser, 50, was jailed for life for murdering Ms Forrest with a knife and hammer.