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I'm booked to talk about drink driving at 9:20 this morning. It follows this report that I've just received by email:

INSPECTOR'S DRINK-DRIVE CASE COLLAPSES
By Hugo Duncan, PA
Senior police officer walked free from court today after a drink-driving case against him collapsed.
Inspector Christopher Cropper, of Greater Manchester Police, was arrested after allegedly driving to work at Cheadle Hulme police station on December 1 last year.

But charges against the 48-year-old, from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, were dropped today when Bolton magistrates said there was no case to answer.

It followed a series of submissions by defence solicitor Nick Freeman, who has in the past successfully defended sports personalities such as Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Dwight Yorke, Ronnie
O'Sullivan and Colin Montgomery when they faced driving charges.

Mr Freeman told the court that proper procedures had not been followed during the investigation against Mr Cropper and his subsequent arrest.

The court heard that the arresting officer, Superintendent Julie McCabe-Robinson, challenged Mr Cropper after a tip-off from colleagues that he was drunk and had driven to work.

After smelling alcohol on his breath and in his office, she asked Mr Cropper when he last had a drink and if he had driven to work.

Ms McCabe-Robinson said Mr Cropper admitted having a drink "last night" and then driving to work to start his shift for 1pm on December 1.

A blood test later showed that he was over the legal drink-drive limit when he arrived at work.
But her evidence was thrown out on a legal technicality when Mr Freeman argued that Mr Cropper had not been cautioned before he was questioned.

Referring to Ms McCabe-Robinson's questioning of Mr Cropper, magistrate David Morgan said: "In those circumstances we are satisfied that this was an interview and it being an interview a caution should
have been put before the questions were asked and this did not happen."

Mr Freeman then argued that without Ms McCabe-Robinson's evidence there was no proof that Mr Cropper had driven to work even though his green BMW with personalised number plate was in the police
station car park.

Mr Morgan said: "A necessary ingredient of this offence is evidence of driving, but we have not heard evidence that this defendant drove on that day. We therefore conclude that there is no case to answer."

Outside court Mr Freeman said: "Mr Cropper has found the whole ordeal extremely stressful but is immensely relieved at the outcome.

"He is now restored to normal duties and wants to concentrate on his police career."
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Following today's criminal acquittal, Greater Manchester Police will now consider whether there are any internal misconduct issues to address."

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Paul Smith
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