POLICE chiefs ran up a ￡97,000 bill giving a custody sergeant a written warning in a disciplinary case.
Melvin Dawson was suspended for allegedly being trigger-happy with his incapacitating spray.
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Chiefs spent more than ￡34,000 on barristers for a month-long hearing in Colwyn Bay (stock image) Credit: PA
North Wales Police spent more than ￡34,000 on barristers for a month-long hearing in Colwyn Bay.
Taxpayers were also billed ￡22k to cover the tribunal chairwoman’s fees - and almost a further ￡1k for food and drink.
Yet the former RAF squaddie was cleared over his use of Captor spray on detainees in Caernarfon.
Instead he was rapped with written warning over a less serious breach of policing standards.
Sgt Dawson’s own ￡40k legal costs were covered by the Police Federation.
Tory MP David Jones last night blasted the case as a “waste of public money”.
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North Wales branch secretary Mark Jones said: “I am sure the public would have wanted to have seen that spent on frontline policing.”
North Wales Police instigated the misconduct hearing at its Colwyn Bay HQ following a probe by the IOPC watchdog.
A spokesman said: "The proceedings ensured due process was followed in the public interest.”
The IOPC insisted: “It was appropriate the evidence was put before an independent panel.“
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