Senior detective arrested at rail station quits ahead of disciplinary proceedings

Heather Eastwood is married to Sean Price, who became the first chief constable in 35 years to be sacked

A senior detective whose chief constable husband was fired has resigned from the force ahead of a disciplinary hearing.

Detective Chief Inspector Heather Eastwood was alleged to have failed to have informed her superiors at Cleveland Police that she had been arrested following an incident at a railway station.

She is married to Sean Price, who in October became the first chief constable in 35 years to be sacked.

A disciplinary hearing found he was guilty of gross misconduct, having lied about his role in the recruitment of the former police authority chairman's daughter.

Ms Eastwood was due to have faced disciplinary proceedings this week which will not go ahead now as she has resigned.

The allegation was that she did not inform superiors that she had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in 2011.

She was arrested at Northallerton railway station in North Yorkshire but, after questioning, no further action was taken.

When the alleged incident later came to light, the Independent Police Complaints Commission was informed and the detective was suspended.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a chief inspector who was due to face a misconduct hearing has now resigned from the force.

"As the individual is no longer a serving police officer they are no longer subject to disciplinary proceedings."

The force could not say how this may affect her pension.

She was reported to be 41 and has recently had a child with Mr Price, who is 55.

PA