Acquitted police chief will face disciplinary action

The Surrey police authority confirmed last night that it will be proceeding with disciplinary action against Ian Beckett, the county's Deputy Chief Constable.

The Surrey police authority confirmed last night that it will be proceeding with disciplinary action against Ian Beckett, the county's Deputy Chief Constable.

After a second meeting this week, the authority confirmed that it believed disciplinary offences may have been committed by the married father-of-two, who had been accused of sexually harassing civilian staff.

Mr Beckett, 54, was cleared by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London last Friday of four charges of indecent assault against two women at the end of a five-day trial.

He maintained the allegations against him were "lies and fantasies".

After the trial, Denis O'Connor, the Chief Constable of Surrey, said he was aware of "three other issues raised by other individuals" that were "to some degree similar" to the charges Mr Beckett had faced in court.

A statement released by the police authority last night said: "Having carefully reviewed the detailed report by the independent investigating officer and taken legal advice, the senior personnel committee of the authority considers the disciplinary offences may have been committed.

"Mr Beckett has been notified of the decision to allow him to make representations. In these circumstances and in fairness to all parties the police authority will not be making any further comment on the allegations. The committee has confirmed the continued suspension of Mr Beckett."

Mr Beckett was suspended in January last year on full pay of more than £76,000 when one of the two women whose allegations formed the basis of the trial claimed she had been indecently assaulted in December 1998.

An indepedendent investigation into Mr Beckett compiled evidence on claims of sexual harrassment from five women working at the headquarters of Surrey Police near Guildford.