A FORMER policeman and anti-social behaviour officer has today appeared in court accused of being in charge of a vehicle while over the drink drive limit.

A FORMER policeman and anti-social behaviour officer has today appeared in court accused of being in charge of a vehicle while over the drink drive limit.

Ian Abery, 49, of Forester Close, Ipswich was charged in December and has since resigned from his job as Suffolk Coastal District Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Officer.

Magistrates sitting at South East Suffolk magistrates court in Ipswich, heard today that colleagues had become suspicious when Mr Abery attended an 8am meeting on December 15 last year and smelt of alcohol.

Pc Victoria Gilmore told the court she had been in a meeting with Abery at Woodbridge Police Station to discuss anti-social behaviour orders.

She said: “We had a meeting at 8am and as we were talking about the contracts I could smell alcohol on his breath. I went directly downstairs and spoke to the duty sergeant and told him what I had smelt.

“I said I could smell alcohol on Mr Abery's breath and was concerned that he had driven to the station. While I was speaking to the sergeant I could see that Mr Abery's vehicle was parked outside the police station.”

She said she did not believe it had been there when she arrived at work at 7.45am but admitted she had not seen Abery driving the vehicle that day.

Breath tests were carried out and revealed that Abery had 89 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Abery denied the charge of being drunk while in charge of a vehicle. The trial continues.