Concern over 'urine officer' pay

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An MSP has raised concerns over a Grampian Police officer convicted of diluting his urine sample being suspended on full pay for four years.

Sgt Ewan McHardy, 41, was stopped for suspected drink-driving while off duty in Elgin in 2005.

He was found guilty on Thursday of tampering with his urine sample.

North East Labour MSP Richard Baker is asking why McHardy was paid for four years, thought to be about £160,000, before the case came to court.

Mr Baker told BBC Scotland: "Taxpayers' money was wasted on somebody not carrying out his duties while the case proceeded.

"I am now writing to Justice Secretary Kenny McAskill to ask why it took so long to prosecute this case. Why was action not taken quicker when budgets are hard-pressed?"

McHardy had sent his own sample for tests, but discrepancies were found.

'Discrepancies found'

He was found guilty after a trial at Elgin Sheriff Court and sentence was deferred until September for reports.

McHardy was stopped in March 2005 after being seen driving erratically. He was breathalysed after two cans of lager and a kebab were seen on the passenger seat and a smell of alcohol was detected on his breath.

McHardy, of Aberdeen, provided a positive reading and was taken to Elgin police station. However, he claimed he was unable to give two further breath samples because he had a cold.

When a doctor came to take blood, the officer said he was scared of needles and was asked to provide a urine sample instead.

The sample was separated into two parts and put into sealed containers. One was given to McHardy and the other sent to the public analysis laboratory in Aberdeen.

Detectives were told he sent his own sample to the forensic medicine department at Glasgow University later that week.

However, he was later questioned when huge "discrepancies" were found between the two samples.