AN official hearing into complaints against the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset is set to take place in April – almost a year after he was suspended.

Nick Gargan has been drawing his near £150,000 salary despite being off work since last May after two female members of staff lodged complaints about his behaviour.

Mr Gargan, 48, who strenuously denies any wrongdoing, will answer a misconduct charge starting on April 20 into allegations of making inappropriate advances to women colleagues – the hearing is expected to last five days.

An Independent Police Complaints Commission inquiry was completed in October, since when Mr Gargan requested an extension to the deadline to provide his response to the allegations, which partly contributed towards the delay.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens (pictured) said an independent panel chaired by Dorian Lovell-Pank QC will convene in April.

She added: “It does seem to have taken a long time to get to this point but the disciplinary process is set out under police conduct regulations.

“These are very prescriptive in terms of the arrangements for the hearing and the procedure to be followed in readiness for the hearing. It’s important we follow the process and get it right.”

Ms Mountsevens, who originally sent Mr Gargan home when the complaints were made, decided he had a case to answer for gross misconduct after the IPCC investigation, which took place in private and saw more than 50 officers and staff interviewed.