A West Midlands Police inspector has been reprimanded after being found 'unfit for duty' following an evening where he consumed seven pints of alcohol before reporting to work the next morning. Inspector Moran's colleagues detected alcohol on his breath when he arrived for an internal meeting, prompting breath tests that revealed he had exceeded the force's workplace alcohol limit.
Misconduct Hearing Details
Moran admitted to making a 'serious misjudgement' and explained that he had not eaten dinner while off-duty nor had breakfast before his shift. The misconduct panel determined that his actions amounted to gross misconduct, breaching professional behaviour standards. Despite being a 'highly-regarded' officer with nearly 20 years of exemplary service, he received a final written warning valid for two years following an accelerated hearing in March.
Breath Test Results
The incident occurred on October 10, 2025, when Moran reported for duty at 9am and attended a serious youth violence meeting around 10.15am. Colleagues reported smelling alcohol, leading to a handheld breath test that recorded 38 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. Subsequent tests at Perry Barr custody suite using a Lion Intoxilyzer machine gave a reading of 21 micrograms per 100ml of breath, exceeding the force's limit of 13 micrograms.
Panel Findings
Panel chair Debra Tedds stated: "Moran, whilst clearly a well-respected officer of long standing, in my view was reckless in consuming seven/eight pints of alcohol knowing he was due to report for duty the following morning." The panel noted that Moran's rank could be an aggravating factor, increasing culpability. Moran expressed remorse and apologised for his conduct, recognising the reputational damage caused. However, he argued that the relatively low reading meant it should only be considered misconduct.
The panel found Moran's actions were not intentional, with no evidence of dishonesty or an attempt to mislead. Tedds added: "As an inspector, you are a role model... if the public were aware of the circumstances, it would cause reputational harm to the service." The final written warning will remain on Moran's record for two years, and he must adhere to strict conditions regarding alcohol consumption before duty.
